Zohran Mamdani's rhetoric created a dangerous atmosphere for Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to UN

NYC's first Muslim mayor has created a situation that disturbs the NYPD, because of the security issues it now entails:

New York City is bracing for a security nightmare next month when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Gotham — and cops are blaming Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The PM’s visist will now necessitate a massive, presidential-level police shield and furious NYPD sources told The Post that Mamdani’s reckless, anti-Bibi obsession emboldens radical agitators, leaving frontline cops and everyday New Yorkers squarely in the crosshairs.

“Basically, he’s making what would be considered a Category 1 hurricane that we deal with every year into a Category 5 because of his words,” a law enforcement source said.

Hizzoner is staunchly pro-Palestine and anti-Israel and called for Netanyahu’s arrest during his 2025 mayoral campaign.

He reiterated those threats last month before acknowledging the NYPD doesn’t have the authority to do so.

Mamdani then urged his radical base to “take to the streets” during Netanyahu’s visit, saying “one of the bedrocks of our city is protest.”

That has enraged many police officers who already have their work cut out for them, the law enforcement source said.

“We have to protect hotels, we have to protect wherever [dignitaries] go out to eat, we have to protect everything,” the law enforcement source said. “Having the mayor say, ‘Go ahead and protest, and he should be arrested’ . . . is unfair to your own cops.”

Netanyahu is expected to arrive in the city next month for the United Nations General Assembly and is scheduled to address the body on Sept. 26.

Netanyahu’s full schedule isn’t yet known so the final number of police officers needed for his detail is up in the air, but it could grow to 60 or more with “direct and peripheral” officers, police sources said.

Most dignitaries get a protective detail of one sergeant and eight detectives. Security at the event also includes federal and state agents, usually supplemented by the foreign nation’s own agents.

“What’s going to stop one of the protesters from becoming a vigilante and trying to hurt or God forbid kill him?” the source said.

Cops are also worried that protesters who think they’re acting on the mayor’s behalf “could cause an officer to get hurt or even killed,” the source said.

Mamdani's already caused so much embarrassment for NYC, and the worst part is whomever voted him into office, effectively proving they're okay with one day imposing sharia upon the Big Apple. Now, there's also a situation where danger's been increased for politicians, and for all we know, it could have horrific consequences.

Of course Israel's on a collision course with Turkey

Or destined to be, sooner or later. That's what professor Eyal Zisser is talking about now:

Turkey was the first Muslim-majority country to recognize the State of Israel, doing so in 1949. Since then, however, relations between the two countries have experienced ups and, above all, downs. For many years, ties remained deeply frozen because Ankara feared antagonizing the Arab states. In the late 1950s, however, Turkey joined Israel, Iran and Ethiopia in establishing the Periphery Alliance as a counterweight to Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

The peace process that began in the region in the early 1990s brought an unprecedented flourishing of relations between the two countries, along with economic, diplomatic and, above all, security cooperation. As it once did with Iran, Israel displayed appalling shortsightedness by helping to develop Turkey's security services and defense industry.

All this changed after Erdogan came to power more than two decades ago. Erdogan seeks to turn his back on the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, not only regarding the country's secular character but also, and especially, in foreign policy. Turkey's traditional focus on Europe has been replaced by an orientation toward the Arab and Islamic worlds. Turkey has consequently aligned itself with Qatar, the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, using hostility toward Israel as a lever to advance its standing in the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Even after Erdogan took power, however, relations between the two countries continued, particularly in the economic sphere. That remained the case until October 7, after which Turkey sided with Hamas in both words and deeds, bringing about a complete rupture between the two countries, although the Turkish Embassy continues to operate in Tel Aviv.

Following the takeover of Syria by Turkish protégé Ahmad al-Sharaa, Ankara gained a foothold in the country and effectively replaced Iran as its dominant foreign power. This heightened concerns in Jerusalem that Syria could become an arena for confrontation. There were even reports of near-clashes between Turkish and Israeli aircraft. Nevertheless, a hotline between the Israeli and Turkish air forces was established through Azerbaijani mediation to prevent incidents in Syrian airspace.

Oh, we just have to rely on another Muslim country for this. Azerbaijan, of course, is also guilty of jihadist bloodshed against Armenians, and that's one of the reasons why it's terrible how Israel in the past came to do potentially faustian deals with Islamic countries if that's what it took to supposedly keep a stable region. But of course, Islamic taqqiya (deception) is why it won't last long. If Israel's advocates don't show the courage to convince Islamic countries to stop worshiping the Religion of Peace, how do they expect to improve the situation with Turkey?

All this is why eventually, Turkey will have to be regarded as an enemy state, until its modern tyrants like Erdogan can be replaced with saner ones, who preferably aren't Muslim.

Mamdani begrudgingly recognizes he has no legal authority to arrest Netanyahu while visiting NYC

NYC's first Muslim mayor may have admitted he cannot arrest Netanyahu on trumped up accusations issues by the ICC, but Mamdani still sticks by his anti-Israeli positions in the worst ways:

Leading Jewish groups castigate New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for inflammatory claims he made yesterday in a video announcing that he could not arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Before stating that the city could not make the arrest, Mamdani said Israel was targeting “neonatal care centers,” starving “countless people,” “gunning down hundreds of aid workers and journalists,” and that Americans were paying “for the bombs that do the killing.”

The claims are largely exaggerated or based on scanty or questionable evidence.

The UJA-Federation of New York, the leading Jewish group in the city, says, “New Yorkers elected a mayor to lead this city — not to make Israel the centerpiece of your political grandstanding.”

“Your video is rife with distortions and disinformation. At a time of rising antisemitism, repeatedly singling out and vilifying the world’s only Jewish state for perceived political benefit is repugnant, puts Jews at greater risk — and leaves many Jewish New Yorkers feeling targeted and unwelcome in the city we call home,” the federation says in a statement. “Shame on you.”

It's really no shock, of course, that Mamdani would do this. He should not be welcome at the upcoming 911 Memorial service either, because it's pretty obvious he also doesn't respect any of the victims and survivors there. A most repellent man indeed.

Insular Haredi society is becoming a national security crisis

So here's a writer who's talking about how the Haredis, in their own way, are taking attention away from more pressing issues like Islamofascism by imposing their belief systems on other Israelis, as they pave the road to hell with "good intentions":

The Oct. 7 war turned a simmering political dispute into a national crisis.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis answered the call to reserve duty. More than 900 lost their lives. Families endured repeated deployments while businesses struggled without employees, and parents went months without seeing their children.

At precisely the moment when the country needed every able-bodied citizen, thousands of Haredi men continued to avoid military service.

The Israel Defense Forces has repeatedly warned of severe manpower shortages, and Israel’s courts have ordered the government to enforce the draft of Haredim. Successive governments, however, have refused to apply the law. Given the reaction to the 16 arrests this year, it’s hard to imagine any government arresting thousands of Haredi draft dodgers; those arrests triggered violent demonstrations that blocked highways, shut down rail traffic, attacked detention facilities and assaulted police officers, including one whose son was killed in Gaza, and even targeted the home of a Supreme Court justice.

Instead of enforcing existing law, the Netanyahu government has sought legislation that would equate Torah study with military service and limit the arrest of draft evaders. In 2024, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara ordered the Labor Ministry to cut daycare subsidies for the children of ultra-Orthodox yeshivah students who disobey military draft orders.

Netanyahu, however, wants to restore such subsidies. In other words, the government has moved from enforcement to reversal.

Whenever the issue of Haredi draft dodging comes up, I’m reminded of the U.S. military’s practice of shaving recruits’ heads as part of standardization. Imagine if the IDF did that to the Haredim. Instead, the army bends over backward to accommodate the demands of even the more moderate Orthodox soldiers who may refuse to serve in units with women or to be trained by them. The army recently backed down after leaders of Hesder yeshivas (institutions that combine Torah study with military service) threatened to stop sending their students to the Armored Corps over the proposed inclusion of women in tanks alongside men.

The ultra-Orthodox fear that their children will lose their religion in a secular army, though thousands of observant Jews proudly serve in the IDF. Nevertheless, many Israelis would gladly accept some alternative form of national service for those unwilling to join. Even that compromise has largely been rejected by Haredi leadership, which insists that Torah study alone fulfills their national obligation.

While there are valid issues to find here, the only problem is whether the writer's being altruistic. If he's just attacking Netanyahu - but wouldn't attack a left-wing politician who did the same - what good is this critique?

That aside, it's pretty clear at this point the Haredis aren't going to accept even simple national service, based on their increasing belief in segregation from wider society. That's wrong, as was the attack on a supreme court justice while distributing leaflets that looked like Israeli flags with a swastika in the middle. That incident amounted a most anti-semitic act, and as a result, how are the clans who do such a repulsive thing any different from antisemitic movements in non-Jewish societies?

What began as David Ben-Gurion’s original exemption—intended for a few hundred exceptional scholars—has evolved into a blanket exclusion for an entire community. This is no longer simply a question of fairness. It is a question of national survival.

Today, roughly one-quarter of Israelis reaching military age are Haredi. By 2050, that figure could approach 40%. If current exemption rates continue, then the burden on the shrinking pool of secular and national-religious soldiers will become unsustainable. As that burden grows, reservists will serve longer and more frequently, imposing growing costs on families, employers and the economy.

Equally concerning is the economic model that successive governments have enabled. Many Haredi schools provide no instruction in mathematics, English or science, leaving graduates ill-equipped for modern employment. Hence, the employment rate among Haredi men remains dramatically below that of other Jewish Israelis, while many employed Haredi women work in lower-paying or part-time positions. [...]

Ironically, Israel’s Arab citizens increasingly demonstrate the opposite trajectory. While significant socioeconomic gaps remain, Arab participation in higher education, professional occupations and the workforce has steadily increased as more seek to improve their standard of living. The Institute for National Security Studies has noted that whereas much of the Arab sector is moving toward greater economic integration, Haredi leadership largely seeks to preserve the existing system of dependency and exemption.

The Haredi leadership is no longer content merely to preserve its own way of life; it increasingly seeks to extend its religious norms into Israel’s public sphere.

For years, the ultra-Orthodox have imposed their standards at the Western Wall, where restrictions on women’s prayer and the rejection of non-Orthodox religious practices have alienated many Israelis and much of the Diaspora. Their ambitions now extend well beyond holy sites. In Bnei Brak, municipal rabbis recently ordered gender segregation on the sidewalks of two major streets. At the national level, Netanyahu’s coalition has advanced legislation allowing universities and colleges to offer gender-segregated master’s and doctoral programs—a proposal so troubling that Israel’s university presidents and medical school deans publicly warned it would undermine academic freedom and equality.

These are not isolated disputes. They reflect a broader effort to redefine Israel’s public institutions according to ultra-Orthodox religious doctrine.

On the part about Bnei Brak, the municipality did appear to reverse their plans after backlash, but for all we know, they could still enforce them without signposts too. As for the legislation, yes, that's sadly a dumb move, because it's just implying Netanyahu's trying to survive at all costs, rather than make an effort to convince the Haredi public it'd be better to vote for Likud instead. He certainly shouldn't be letting them blackmail anybody on the right.

Since we're on the topic, there's also a troubling item about plans to give the old Bikur Holim hospital building to a Haredi girls' seminar:

The fate of the capital’s oldest Jewish hospital, Bikur Cholim – opened on Straus Street in 1925 after moving from the Old City and closed in 2020 – will determine whether downtown Jerusalem is accessible to all its residents.

So said Havilio, the longtime community activist and politician who, for decades, has represented the voice of the secular, pluralistic, and traditional community in the haredi (ultra-Orthodox)-dominated municipality and is a deputy mayor heading the Ha’ihud Ha’Yerushalmi faction.

The municipality had approved plans to allocate the historic and much more beautiful eastern building for a seminary for 1,000 haredi teenage girls run by the Slonim Hassidic community, triggering an uproar among liberal Jerusalemites. Havilio said the mayor’s plan was illegal, and various opponents threatened a lawsuit.

“This is a historic mistake,” Havilio told In Jerusalem. “At present, the border between haredi residents and institutions and non-haredi ones is on Hanevi’im Street. A haredi seminary would move the border by a few meters south to Jaffa Road. The city center will then not be allowed to have places of entertainment, cafés, or stores that could remain open on Shabbat or any liberal projects.

I think it is wrong to turn what could make an important museum into something isolated, Now, here's yet another, more troubling piece that certainly confirms what the first one's allegedly concerned about:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemns “horrific” comments made by Rabbi Dov Lando, the spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox Degel Hatorah political faction, who said yesterday that religious soldiers were committing murder by serving in the army.

Lando denounced those in the religious Zionist community who serve in the army, at a meeting with heads of the Mir Yeshiva, at his home in Bnei Brak: “I am speaking about those with knitted kippas that are required to go.”

“If the state sends people, soldiers, for the honor of the state, and they kill people, is that also permissible? It’s very much murder. So they incite murder. They wage wars not only for the sake of salvation, but for the honor of the state,” he said.

In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu condemns the comments.

“IDF soldiers, secular and Haredi, leave their homes, their work and their families, and risk their lives in order to protect the State of Israel, its citizens and all of the nation of Israel,” Netanyahu says.

“They deserve deep appreciation, gratitude, and full support from all segments of the public, and certainly from the world of Torah,” the statement reads.

One could reasonably wonder if Lando sympathizes with Islamic jihadists. His words certainly tell exactly what the Hamas would want to hear, and Lando's effectively desecrated the memory of millions of victims of barbarism in all forms. Based on this, how can such Haredi clans claim they're not antisemitic/self-haters? In this report, it notes that:

Rabbi Lando accused Religious Zionist figures who support IDF enlistment of encouraging “actual murder," claiming that soldiers are sent to fight “not only for the sake of saving lives, but also for the honor of the state."

Here, it sounds like he's saying it's inherently wrong to save innocent lives, and acting as though honor for the state is also wrong. And then we wonder how else October 7, 2023 occurred, in addition to irresponsible military officials. Lando's lack of moral compass is another reason why the tragedy occurred. He shouldn't be recognized as a rabbi at all. He's nothing but a shoddy fraud in a black suit and hat who's more addicted to the socialist ideology than serious liberty and freedom. People like him are exactly what's taking us back to the dark ages.

So as far as national security crises go, Lando's definitely providing examples of why we need to be on the lookout for 5th column inciters who're as bad as their more leftist counterparts.

Opposition grows against selling military planes to Turkey

Benjamin Netanyahu urged Donald Trump not to sell F35 jets to Turkey:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced strong opposition to the possibility of the US selling F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, following comments by US President Donald Trump indicating that he is considering approving the deal.

In an interview with CNN, Netanyahu argued that such a move would undermine regional stability and reward a government that has repeatedly adopted hostile positions toward both Israel and the US.

"Turkey is not a friendly state to the US," Netanyahu said, describing the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as "a regime that's infected with the Muslim Brotherhood, which hates the US."

Turkey under Erdogan has made clear they're as dangerous to Israel as Iran is, and the whole notion the USA would sell them military tools is despicable as it's also dangerous. Why, what if, just like Iran, Turkey's also working on nuclear development, and one day has weapons similar to what Iran's had until recently? Then nothing was solved to begin with. Also, what if Erdogan and his minions are planning to subject the country to Islamic sharia dictates? Another reason why they can't be allowed to posess western-developed weapons.

This issue comes as recent polls show Israelis are losing confidence in Trump on security issues:

The share of Israelis who believe that Israel’s security is a central consideration of President Donald Trump fell to a record low as Democratic support for Israel in the US continued to decline, according to two new polls on Tuesday.

A new poll from the Israel Democracy Institute found that, amid widening disagreements in Israel over US efforts to broker a new nuclear deal with Iran, the share of Israelis who believe Trump prioritizes Israel’s security had seen a “collapse" from 44% in May to 28% in June, pollsters said.

The survey, which polled 603 Jewish respondents and 151 Arab respondents from June 28 to July 1, found that among Jewish respondents, the belief that Israel can fully rely on Trump has plummeted by 38 points between March and June 2026.

Just over one-third of Israelis said they believed Israel’s strategic security situation is better today than it was before the war with Iran. The margin of error was 3.57 percentage points.

It's also reported a poll conducted in part by the AP Wire tells there's a considerable number of Jewish Americans who're hostile to Israel, and quite possibly even favorable to Zohran Mamdani. Assuming that poll has any weight to it, that too is disturbing, and very sad.

Update: also note how Trump's continuing relations with the new Syrian despot, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and that too is troubling.

Update 2: John Fetterman's the only liberal who's willing to oppose the sale of weapons to Turkey.

Knesset resolution submitted to recognize Armenian Genocide

One of the Likud's members - and the foreign minister - is doing the right thing to take a legal step to recognizing the Armenian Genocide in Israel:

At the upcoming government meeting, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar will propose a resolution for the official recognition by the Government of Israel of the Armenian Genocide.

The proposed resolution states that, based on a moral and historical obligation, Israel will recognize the genocide committed against the Armenian people during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. It further states that any denial, minimization, or distortion of the historical truth of these events must be condemned.

The resolution will subsequently be brought before the Knesset for approval as well.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly recognized the Armenian Genocide for the first time in August 2025.

Every resolution like this brought to the table is a vital step towards improvement of foreign relations.

JD Vance sets a most divisive example

I don't know what exactly is in the final "deal" between the USA and Iran, something I'll try to comment on another time, but for now, vice president J.D. Vance is not improving the situation with attacks on Israel in regards to Lebanon:

The harsh criticism leveled against Israel by U.S. Vice President JD Vance has sparked angry reactions.

Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida wrote: “Israel is our greatest ally and strongest partner in the Middle East. The evil Iranian regime wants to wipe BOTH of us off the face of the Earth. That will never happen because we will ALWAYS stand together."

“America’s unwavering support for Israel’s defense helps make the America First agenda possible, the U.S. stronger, and the world a safer place," he stressed.

Professor Jeffrey Lax of New York University, a prominent activist for the Jewish community and in the fight against antisemitism and discrimination against pro-Israel professors and students, was even sharper in his criticism.

“The most sickening part of JDVance's mid-book tour press conference? Right here, where he accuses Israel(!) of attacking civilian population centers in Beirut when every honest person on earth knows it is exactly the other way around," Lax said.

“This man CANNOT be our next president," Lax declared.

The criticism was also echoed by the “Green Prince," Mosab Hassan Yousef, who lives in the United States.

"Israel is not a client state. It is a sovereign, independent, and powerful nation. Its strength has never depended on any foreign leader, it comes from its own people. While the partnership with the United States has been valuable, Israel has never been a burden. It has delivered massive contributions to American technology, medicine, cybersecurity, and defense, far beyond what most Americans realize. At a moment when America is facing deep internal and external challenges, turning against one of its most capable and loyal allies is not just shortsighted, it is self-destructive. Those who believe they are weakening Israel by attacking it are actually weakening America’s own interests," Yousef said.

During a White House briefing yesterday (Thursday), Vance claimed that Israel was bombing Lebanon indiscriminately.

Based on what Vance has done, no, he's not fit to be the next presidential candidate. And we shouldn't buy his books either. So he obscures the Hezbollah's evils, and rails against Israel instead? Vance has really disappointed.

Update: on the subject of Iran, they've backed out of the deal signing in Switzerland, and Vance has delayed a trip there. So what's being accomplished so far when the deal may be questionable at most?

Update: the Federalist is making things worse by fudging the exact details, and makes it sound like it's wrong to destroy a terrorist organization, and as though Iran's literally right to defend said monsters:

Israel’s targeting of Hezbollah in Lebanon has been a point of tension during negotiations with Iran, sometimes breaking ceasefires and jeopardizing the openness of the Strait of Hormuz. Israel has also killed negotiators from Iran in the past in the middle of talks.

Israeli attacks in Lebanon have reportedly resulted in tense phone calls between Trump and Netanyahu, in which Trump has reportedly said his Israeli counterpart has “no f-cking judgement” during the negotiating process.

This is insulting to the intellect, and could also explain why the same news writers seem disinterested in freeing all Iranian citizens who don't want to wear outfits like the chador. This can also explain why there are certain commentators on the right, in and out of Israel, who find the way this has been handled troubling, and don't sound optimistic this'll go over well.

Of course it's not solely antisemitic to criticize Haredis when they commit offensive crimes

So here's a writer who wants to make a point that there are legitimate ways to criticize Haredis when they do some repulsive like vandalize the house of a supreme court justice or worse, all because they don't want to serve in the army:

It is undeniable that political depictions of the haredim (ultra-Orthodox) occasionally dip into the bucket of antisemitic tropes. Haaretz contributors have referred to specific sects as “parasites,” and TV personality Galit Gutman notoriously labeled them “bloodsuckers” on live TV.

As the most visibly Jewish community in Israel, haredim face a reality mirrored on the streets of Brooklyn and London: those who look the “most Jewish” are often the most targeted. Haredim have even been victims of hate crimes. In one infamous case last year, a haredi couple near an anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv were physically assaulted due to their appearance.

The defense that Israel is a Jewish state provides no immunity. There is a plethora of historical evidence to testify that Jews have never been immune from jew-hatred by dint of heritage.

Yet, despite these flashes of bigotry, anti-haredi rhetoric is fundamentally distinct from antisemitism, and treating it as such concedes haredim much more than a narrative of victimhood.

[...] Therefore, the question must be asked: What is it, inherently, about haredi Jewishness that so infuriates their critics?

Take what is perhaps the most cited statistic in Israeli public discourse: the 15,000-shekel gap between the average haredi and non-haredi family’s contribution to the state. Or consider the widespread fury over the refusal to serve in the IDF. Notice what is absent from both of these grievances? Any inherently Jewish element.

Another problem that's angered the public is their denigrating view of women, to the point where they demand dressing modestly and sit at the back of the bus, that women not be singing and dancing, and even want censorship of women in advertising, for example. Those are serious and valid issues to take with the Haredis, and strange the writer didn't seem to bring that up.

To test this, let’s substitute the haredim with an entirely different demographic group. Suppose secular Ashkenazi Jews occupied this exact socio-economic position, maintaining this same rejection of civic duty as a conscious, collective lifestyle choice.

What would society call them? I imagine “parasites” would be one of the milder labels used, their devout commitment to secularism and heritage notwithstanding. While there may very well be some anti-religious sentiment mixed into the public outrage, that does not equate to antisemitism. The hostility has nothing to do with the particularities of Jewish practice itself; it is a reaction to a civic imbalance. The ultimate proof? Neither this intensity of opposition, nor these supposedly antisemitic tropes, are ever weaponized against Religious Zionists.

Ultimately, labeling mainstream Israeli criticism as “antisemitism” betrays a much deeper ideological pathology within the haredi worldview.

First, it assumes their specific lifestyle is completely synonymous with Judaism itself, granting them an absolute monopoly on authentic Jewish expression. This monopoly warps their understanding of the draft and of Israeli society.

In their worldview, the state isn’t demanding they serve out of a basic need for civic equality. Rather, as Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch of the hardline Badatz (Eda Haredit Rabbinical Court) recently claimed, secular Israelis see the haredi brand of authentic Judaism and are “fiercely jealous of us.”

Second, and more profoundly, weaponizing the charge of antisemitism fundamentally denies the nature of the Jewish state. By branding their tax-paying, military-serving Jewish neighbors as antisemites, haredi leadership rhetorically excommunicates the rest of the country.

It signals a refusal to accept the reality of a sovereign Jewish society, choosing instead to operate as if they are living in an alien, hostile diaspora where the “outside world” and “antisemitic persecutor” are one and the same.

Another problem is how they all but segregate themselves and do something similar to what some non-Jewish societies do: predetermine their viewpoint and refuse to take a deeper look with a magnifying glass. Nor do they make any distinctions between what's in good or bad taste. They even reject the idea of reading literature that doesn't meet their worldview, if at all. That does not bode well, and requires a serious fix that'll take ages to repair, if at all.

Interestingly enough, there was a rabbi who spoke out against the "protests":

At the same time, Rabbi Salim firmly condemned the street demonstrations and called on yeshiva students to stay away from them.

"The demonstrations do not help - they cause harm, take people away from learning, and accustom them to violence," he said. "Efforts must be made through quiet channels - visits, phone calls - and one must remain aligned with the instructions of the rabbis."

Yet at the same time, these "rabbis" are still a bad influence in how they teach to literally follow a flesh-and-blood human instead of God's positions, and/or think for themselves. That's another very troubling issue.

Since we're on the subject, here's another writer who believes Haredis could make good employees in weapons factories:

Think about it. The Israel Defense Forces isn’t only suffering from a shortage of front-line troops. It also faces a grave shortage of munitions: guns, bullets, mortars, drones, artillery shells, missiles, interceptors and the like.

Israel must massively expand its domestic weapons industry, but it needs more workers to do so. At the same time, the governing coalition has collapsed under the weight of the Haredi military exemption.

Here’s a solution for both problems: Let Haredi men work in Israeli arms factories without being drafted, and count hours worked toward mandatory national service. This enables them to meet one of Israel’s vital defense needs without submitting to the control of a military establishment they don’t trust.

That could be a solution, with the remaining query being whether they'd accept, and whether they know better than to "turn traitor" and use said weapons for bad purposes, especially if they're members of a clan like Neturei Karta. If all concerns can be overcome, then who knows? Maybe something positive can come from that suggestion.

Haredi extremists vandalized the home of a court justice

Once more, the Haredi extremists who're doing exactly what the Islamofascists would want have struck again, this time committing horrific vandalism:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the ultra-Orthodox riots that took place outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg on Wednesday night in opposition to his order to increase arrests of draft evaders.

“I strongly condemn the violent riot against Justice Noam Sohlberg. Law enforcement must apply the full force of the law against the rioters,” he stated. The Prime Minister's Office said that Netanyahu called Sohlberg to inquire about his well-being and inquire whether or not he would press charges against the trespassers.

Extremist protesters caused significant property damage by smashing windows, damaging his car, and attempting to break into Sohlberg's house before attempting to flee the scene.

Police arrived at the scene shortly after and began detaining dozens of individuals for disorderly conduct.

Magen David Adom (MDA) was also called to the scene after the riot was dispersed to attend to Sohlberg, who was reportedly feeling unwell.

Justice Sohlberg's wife, Meira Sohlberg, spoke to reporters following the riot.

"It cannot be that Jews do this to one another. We are children of Holocaust survivors. Jews harming each other like this - how can it be? How can it be? Look at the destruction. A pogrom. What is this? A Kristallnacht. How is this possible? There are no words.”

Later that night, Ynet reported that dozens of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) demonstrators had blocked the Kikar HaShabbat intersection in Jerusalem, in protest of the arrest of individuals outside of Sohlberg's home.

Israeli leaders decry violent attack on Sohlberg's home

In reaction to the incident, Justice Minister Yariv Levin stressed the serious nature of the riot and stated the violence deserves full condemnation.

“I hope that this time, law enforcement will fulfill its role in enforcing the law and curbing the violence. Those who have said there is no effective protest without disruption of public order, and who have legitimized severe violence and refusal by left-wing demonstrators, also bear direct responsibility for the rampant violence," he said.

“I stand with Deputy President Sohlberg and his family during these difficult hours and call on everyone to refrain from any violence, which has no place and is unacceptable.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz said that he “strongly condemns the attempted break-in at the home of Deputy President of the Supreme Court, Justice Noam Sohlberg.”

He added, “The rioters who carried out this serious act have no connection to the Torah or the values of the people of Israel. This is a small group of extremist criminals acting with violence and bullying, harming the values of the Torah world. In a state governed by law, there is no place for attempts at intimidation, violence, or threats against judges.”

As noted here:

After damaging the home, the protesters boarded a bus and tried to leave the scene. Large police forces arrived in the area, stopped the bus and locked the protesters inside until additional forces arrived. More than 50 Haredim were arrested.

Well that proves they knew what they were doing was wrong, seeing they tried to commit flight from arrest. Meanwhile, this is one of the worst examples of how ultra-Orthodox clans are crossing the line post-October 7, 2023, and beggars serious queries like whether law enforcement is going to take any preemptive steps to preventing Haredi extremists from blocking roads and even reaching the residencies of prominent law enforcement agents to cause chaos? I think they could if they wanted to, and so far, they tragically haven't.

Breslov-originating cult forced teens into marriage underage

The Knesset had a panel discussion with victims of a cult that may have been formed by members of the Haredi Breslov sect that was marrying teens underage:

The Knesset Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women and Gender Equality held a special hearing on Tuesday following allegations of underage marriages in the northern town of Yavne’el, with lawmakers, survivors, and officials describing what committee members called a longstanding and deeply troubling phenomenon.

In 1986, a Breslov community largely consisting of baalei teshuvah (newly religious) adherents was established in Yavne'el by Rabbi Eliezer Shlomo Schick. The community numbers several hundred families and supports and promotes marriage at a very young age, with women marrying at age 15-16 and men at age 18.

Committee chair MK Merav Cohen opened the hearing by saying the issue has persisted for years despite repeated warnings and alleged failures by authorities to stop it.

“This has been in the background for two decades," Cohen said. “This is a principled debate about minors who are forced into marriage and sexual relationships at a young age. Time and again, the public is shocked, but nothing changes, and the authorities fail to stop a phenomenon that endangers lives."

Read more. It's angering how this continues to occur with authorities taking insufficient action against the cult leaders if that's what it takes to disperse these repellent cults. That has to change, and the worst part is that the Haredi parties in the Knesset probably won't avail in dealing with this issue.

Haredi party holds secret meeting with leftist former general

In a sign of how the Haredi parties are sadly more than willing to endanger the right-wing for the sake of their own personal agendas that do more to hurt the country, especially after October 7, 2023, UTJ's Moshe Gafni met with leftist Gadi Eisenkot to build up ties with him:

The chairman of the "Yashar" party, Gadi Eisenkot, and the chairman of Degel Hatorah, MK Moshe Gafni, met last week for a secret meeting, Channel 12 News revealed.

The meeting took place shortly after the leader of the Lithuanian haredi community, Rabbi Dov Lando, announced the dissolution of the right-wing bloc.

According to the report, the atmosphere during the meeting was highly positive, signaling a surprising strengthening of ties between the former IDF Chief of Staff and haredi party leadership.

The sit-down between the two has generated significant interest across the political spectrum, particularly against the backdrop of the Draft Law controversy currently at the center of public debate. While Eisenkot publicly asserts that equal burden of service is a red line for him, behind the scenes, haredi politicians view him as the most pragmatic partner for a compromise.

Sources close to Eisenkot declined to confirm or deny the meeting but hinted that he is "working in numerous ways to advance the elections and bring down the government."

Gafni's office issued a vague response, stating that they "do not comment on meetings Gafni holds with various public figures."

This is absolutely atrocious, with the worst part being that UTJ's voters could accept any deals made between them virtually unquestioned, and over 2 decades ago, UTJ did make a faustian pact with Ariel Sharon in his last days as premier, leading to the "disengagement", which has since led to October 7, 2023. Now, it looks like they're willing to do that again, no matter what long range horror it could one day lead to, and makes clear why socialist ultra-Orthodox parties like Gafni's are such a fiasco for Israel.

Haredi parties threatening to topple government over opposition to army recruitment are a disgrace

The Haredi parties in the Knesset have been threatening to topple the government because they simply don't want to help defend the country any more than build it. One of the government ministers has responded thusly:

Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel strongly attacked the haredi parties amid the conscription law crisis and the possibility of early elections.

"The haredim are coming and trying to topple the government. Someone who is prepared to sell off the security of the state of Israel for funding, and someone who goes to Gantz and Eisenkot to threaten the Prime Minister during a war - what kind of right-wing is that?" Haskel wondered in an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News.

Haskel added, "The right is first and foremost about security, supporting IDF soldiers. It is first and foremost about holding on to the Land of Israel."

She was later asked if she was summoned to a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the leader of her faction, Minister Gideon Sa'ar, due to her opposition to the current conscription bill. Likud members were summoned to the Prime Minister."

She claimed that the proposed bill would "not lead to more haredi enlistment," and added that even without the law, there is an increase in haredi enlistees.

Haskel also presented a proposal to establish yeshivas on the borders to create a solution "that would both protect the yeshiva world and provide the IDF with the manpower it needs for security assignments." She further claimed that if the haredim would understand that they are not exempt from conscription, "The number of haredi soldiers would double."

She also addressed anti-conscription sentiments in the haredi sector: "At the moment, what we hear in haredi society is, 'We'll die and not enlist,' it's crazy." According to Haskel, "If they do not enlist, we will die. The IDF will not have the manpower to perform its security duties."

At the conclusion of the interview, Haskel was asked if she would change her position if she were blamed for toppling the right-wing government during the war. Haskel responded that "those plans should be presented to our haredi brothers and they should take responsibility, otherwise, they will pay a heavy price in the next elections and they won't be in the next government."

Honestly, with the way the Haredi public in places like Bnei Brak's been behaving of recent, they shouldn't be in the government and don't deserve to anyway. What they've done damages morale very badly, since even now, unity has never been more vital for defeating Israel's enemies, and here there's extremists who're practically risking the lives of innocents even in their own society for such monstrosities as riots and vandalism? That's abominable and can't go unopposed anymore.

Nukhba jihadists must face charges for their sexual violence crimes

Sharon Zaghagi Pinhas reminds everyone that the sexual violence committed by Hamas/Nukhba jihadists in Gaza during October 7, 2023 cannot be forgotten:

One central question has not been addressed: whether the Nukhba terrorists will be prosecuted for the sex crimes committed on October 7 and in captivity. Despite repeated attempts around the world to silence and deny them, there is no doubt: grave sex crimes were committed strategically, systematically and on a large scale throughout the attack and in captivity. Many of the female and male victims were murdered, whether during the attack or afterward, and many of the crimes were committed deliberately in full view of others in order to sow terror. All publicly accessible sources clearly indicate that the Nukhba terrorists were driven by an extremist ideology rooted in an explicit intent to commit genocide and in the total denial of the humanity of Israel's population.

Since October 7, I have taken part, together with my colleagues in the Dinah Project at the Rackman Center at Bar-Ilan University, in a difficult and exhausting struggle in which the State of Israel and many civil society organizations joined forces to bring recognition and justice for the female and male victims. [...]

After all this, it is inconceivable that the indictments against the Nukhba terrorists will not include charges over sex crimes. Yet for now, all official bodies are silent whenever the question of filing indictments over the sex crimes is raised.

This silence is deeply troubling.

The sex crimes were committed as part of a mass assault by Nukhba terrorists, aimed at dehumanization and genocide. The terrorists operated inside an inconceivable "vacuum" in which everything was "permitted," murder, massacre and sex crimes alike.

Legally, in such a case, all the terrorists who chose to take part in the mass assault can be held jointly responsible for all the crimes committed during the attack, including the sex crimes, even if they did not physically commit them themselves.

And all those guilty must definitely must be held responsible, and severely punished for their repulsive crimes.

Anyway, it's good to inform that the Knesset approved a law to prosecute the monsters:

The Knesset plenum approved the second and third readings of the bill to prosecute the perpetrators of the October 7 massacre on Monday evening.

The law, which passed with a rare consensus of 93 supporters, establishes the legal infrastructure to try Hamas terrorists and their accomplices for the most heinous crimes committed during the murderous attack. The legislation sets the maximum penalty at death.

Furthermore, a dramatic reservation proposed by MKs Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party) and Yulia Malinovsky (Yisrael Beytenu) was approved, stipulating that terrorists tried under this framework will never be released from prison, even as part of future prisoner exchange deals.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Yariv Levin welcomed the approval, stating, "This law ensures that the terrorists and their accomplices will stand trial and face justice, including the imposition of death sentences. From the depths of the horrific massacre we have risen - for the memory of the murdered, for their families, for those wounded in body and soul, for those who were taken hostage, and for the entire nation - to fulfill our supreme moral obligation: to bring the perpetrators of this ghastly slaughter to justice. I thank Constitution Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman, MK Yulia Malinovsky, and all those involved in the vital work of advancing this legislation."

The news about the investigation into the Hamas' sexual violence, interestingly enough, has been covered by CNN for starters, although not without certain PC dictations in descriptions of the monsters:

Hamas militants and their allies raped, assaulted and sexually tortured their victims during and after the October 7, 2023 terror attack on southern Israel “to maximize pain and suffering,” a landmark new report has concluded.

Shared first with CNN, the report presents the most comprehensive body of evidence yet of sexual and gender-based violence against women, men and children, which it describes as “systematic, widespread, and integral to” the assault.

“The most important finding is the fact that the sexual violence on October 7 and against hostages in captivity has been a calculated strategy by Hamas,” lead author and human rights expert Cochav Elkayam-Levy told CNN.

Notice how they stick solidly with the PC term "militants" rather than "terrorists". It shouldn't have to take a genius to make clear that kind of restriction is unacceptable.

The news was also covered by the Toronto Globe and Mail, i24news, the Jerusalem Post, and here's more from them, along with an op-ed that makes clear the racist denialism must end:

With the release of this irrefutable proof, let this be the final day of October 7 denialism. For months, the world has watched as high-profile figures used their massive platforms to cast doubt on the suffering of Israeli women. Former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters has been among the most vocal, publicly claiming there is “no evidence” of Hamas rapes and dismissing the testimonies of survivors and first responders as “filthy, disgusting lies.”

Similarly, activists like Samantha Pearson, a former director of a Canadian sexual assault center, and Canadian politician Sarah Jama signed a letter dismissing reports of sexual violence as “unverified accusations.”

Even entertainment industry figures, such as Susan Sarandon, have contributed to the skepticism by attempting to “contextualize” the events in ways that effectively minimize the crimes. When global feminist organizations and UN bodies waited months to even acknowledge these atrocities, they provided a shield for Hamas and signaled worldwide that the slogan “Believe Women” has a geographic and political limit.

This report removes that shield once and for all. It demands that the world stop asking for “more evidence” when the archives are already overflowing with it.

There is, however, a profound note of hope within these harrowing pages. The report’s extensive legal analysis provides a clear evidentiary basis for the investigation and prosecution of these acts as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocidal acts under international law.

Waters is one of the most stunningly repugnant figures in the entertainment industry, and no sane person should buy his music albums. And as for Sarandon, it's about time she retired from acting. And anybody who's going to deny serious crimes cannot work at a center for treating rape victims.

Update: here's more from Breitbart.

The PLO still poses a very severe threat

News recently published and brought before the Knesset reveals the PLO's built up a very large military that can pose a severe threat to Israeli citizens:

Since the October 7th Massacre, many have been warning of a much worse scenario in Judea and Samaria, with battalions of armed Palestinian Authority terrorists storming not only the communities in the area, but also towns and cities on the seam line and beyond.

A study by the Regavim movement examined the nature of the PA's armed forces based on the types of armament and training they receive. As expected, they are far beyond being a police force, but an army in every sense.

Moriah Michaeli, the director of the movement's research department, explains the findings in an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News. She stresses that the reality in communities such as Ofra and Beit El is no more dangerous than that in Kfar Saba or Be'er Sheva, and even vice versa, for if we just listen to remarks made by Palestinian Arabs, we will discover that their calls are to return to Acre, Haifa, and Ashdod.

"Part of the study was to listen to what they say, and they say that they want to reach Haifa and Acre. The PA forces publish songs every Friday, and every Friday they are dedicated to one of the cities. They aren't about Ariel or Ma'ale Adumim, but rather Jaffa, Acre, Haifa, Be'er Sheva, and Jerusalem. They plan to get there. That's what they will do on D-day. They aim to reach Tel Aviv," she says, and notes that that is the reason the forces practice diving. There is no sea in Judea and Samaria, and the only reason for such exercises is their aspiration to reach the coastal cities.

Michaeli also shares that recently, PA security force members were caught attempting to smuggle weapons and ammunition between two police stations in Jenin, and diving bags were found on them. "What does Jenin have to do with diving bags? The answer is not that they plan on diving in the sewers to get between communities... but rather, they eye Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Haifa, and Acre."

Regarding the armed Palestinian Authority forces training, Michaeli notes the numerical data revealed in the study, according to which approximately 65,000 individuals are on the payroll, "Between 45,000 and 60,000 are armed operatives in the PA police, but this is not a police force, because the ratio of police is different. In the State of Israel, there is a ratio of three police officers for every thousand people. However, in the PA, there are between 13 and 24 officers per 1000 people. These are not police numbers; these are not forces to protect offices or to defend the Mukataa (PA headquarters) and direct traffic. These are military numbers."

More at the main article. Obviously, this is a serious issue, and dangerous. We must definitely hope security forces are on the alert, ready and willing to deal with this. The PLO's dictatorship should not have had to be established in the first place in the 1990s, and must be dismantled in order to prevent more tragedies from happening.

Haredi anti-war protestors commit breaking and entering, plus trespassing, at military commander's home

Some ultra-Orthodox criminals, who only wish to make it easier for Islamofascism to destroy the country, broke into the home of an army commander:

Protesters from the Jerusalem Faction broke into the yard of Brig. Gen. Yuval Yamin, head of the Military Police, on Tuesday evening in protest of the arrest of draft evaders.

Police forces were called to the scene and began clashing with the protesters, making arrests.

The IDF stated: “A short time ago, a report was received regarding a deliberate break-in to the home of the head of the Military Police, Brig. Gen. Yuval Yamin, while his family was inside. Security forces were dispatched to the scene and are working to locate the suspects."

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir condemned the incident. “I strongly condemn this attack. Harm to members of the security forces and their families constitutes the crossing of a dangerous red line.

I fully back the head of the Military Police in the dedicated fulfillment of his duties. This is a serious incident, and decisive action is required by all law enforcement and security authorities in order to bring those involved to justice," Zamir said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added, "I strongly condemn the violent attack against the head of the Military Police."

Once again, we have some 5th column monsters committing serious crimes and drawing attention away from more important issues. Some could even wonder if these same extremists will even one day convert to Islam as well. That's why those who were arrested have to be sent to a psychology expert for deprogramming, or else more of this will happen.

Update: here's more, telling how Bnei Brak continues to be a hotbed of obscenities:

Defense Minister Israel Katz decried the protestors as “a group of violent criminals who must be brought to justice with the utmost severity.”

He condemned the break-in, noting that Yamin’s family members were home at the time of the incident. Katz then urged law enforcement to “act decisively, quickly, and with all the tools at their disposal” to locate and hold responsible the suspects. [...]

Protesters in the Bnei Brak area also set fire to a dumpster and then threw rocks at the firefighters who came to extinguish it, Israel's Fire and Rescue Authority said on Tuesday.

Over the course of the protest, Highway 4 was blocked to traffic in both directions, and Israeli media reported several altercations between protesters and police officers.

Bnei Brak council member Yaakov Vider denounced the protesters and said that law enforcement was behaving laxly towards them.

"Once again, a marginal extremist fringe is blocking Bnei Brak and Gush Dan, paralyzing the lives of hundreds of thousands of citizens and primarily harming the vulnerable population - seniors, the ill, children, and public transport users," he wrote in a post on X/Twitter.

"Instead of preventing the criminality that harms innocent citizens, law enforcement authorities are enabling it and even making sure to block the roads in advance for their honor," he added.

A valid complaint can indeed be made against authorities who do nothing to anticipate these atrocities, perhaps because a leftist mindset gets in the way?

Update 2: here's some photos of one of these blockades.

A terrible injustice from 2005 is hopefully being reversed

A Jewish village is being reestablished in the Samaria region, 2 decades after the abominable Ariel Sharon tore it down for the sake of "disengagement":

Sixteen families moved into caravans in the community of Sa-Nur in northern Samaria on Sunday, marking the first Jewish residence at the site since it was evacuated during the disengagement in 2005.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who attended the occasion, posted a video on X in which he was seen congratulating the families.

“In addition to the [reestablishment of the] four communities, Sa-Nur, Chomesh, Ganim and Kadim, [this government] has decided to establish 11 more communities in northern Samaria,” the minister told those in attendance in Sa-Nur.

If on the eve of the disengagement plan there were 10 Israeli towns in the area, 21 communities are now ready for construction, Smotrich said.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, has returned to Sa-Nur with his wife, Oriya, after they were evacuated from the community 21 years ago.

“We were expelled from here as a young couple twenty years ago, and we are returning now with our four children, happy,” Oriya Dagan was quoted as saying by Israel National News.

Her husband added, “Last night I couldn’t fall asleep. Since we were expelled from here, since they lifted us by force and dragged us out of the fortress, we have never stopped dreaming, praying, struggling, and working to return here together with the wonderful families who are coming back to the community. Thank God, the people of Israel are winning today.”

Dagan said that this time, the families have returned to Sa-Nur “for good,” describing the town as “the heart of the Land of Israel, the center of the biblical land,” where Joseph went to look for his brothers and Abraham, Elijah and Elisha passed through.

Gaza also looks to see the injustice reversed, and it's very good these families are finally able to return to an area a monster like Sharon turned out to be wrongfully uprooted them from, doing exactly what the leftists wanted. Even pseudo-conservatives like Ed Morrissey have blame to shoulder for this (and he was a prime choice of the disgraced Michelle Malkin to run the Hot Air website, which I can't bear to look at these days). Any authority figures who took part in that tragedy that led to October 7, 2023 should also be condemned and ostracized. What's happened in the past 3 years makes for a very vital and serious lesson.

Haredi brigade will attend Memorial Day ceremony, but not gathering where women sing?

According to the following report:

The Hasmonean Brigade has responded to a report by Channel 13 that claimed that the haredi brigade would not participate in Memorial Day ceremonies and would not mark Independence Day to "prevent exposing the soldiers to Zionist and patriotic content." The Hasmonean Brigade emphhatically denied the report.

"Preparations for the Hasmonean Brigade Memorial Day ceremony were recently completed as planned," the brigade said.

It further noted that "at the same time, a Hasmonean Brigade battalion currently operating in Lebanon will also hold a moving remembrance ceremony, as all IDF brigades do, while continuing its operational activities on the ground."

While this is welcome news, if the following is factual, it most definitely isn't:

The Channel 13 report also claimed that two soldiers from the brigade who were selected to receive the President's Distinction Medal will not appear at the ceremony at the President's Residence with the other recipients due to concerns about women singing during the ceremony, According to the report, the Chief of Staff will hold a private ceremony for the two at a later date.

Well that ruins everything, and is a disgrace and shame. As I've noted before, during October 7, 2023, many women were murdered by the Hamas jihadists as much for singing as for their ethnicity and sexuality. And the twosome they speak of won't attend a ceremony where women sing? They're only perpetuating the moral and societal harm that we need to avoid. They don't deserve medals at all.

IDF soldier in Lebanon causes disgusting PR embarrassment by vandalizing Jesus statue

At a time when Israel needs to be able to keep morale high, and is supposed to be dedicated to protecting Christian adherents endangered by Islamofascism, an IDF soldier had to create a repellent situation by vandalizing a Jesus statue in Lebanon:

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Sunday that a photo circulating online showed an IDF soldier wielding a hammer over the head of a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon, committing to take “appropriate measures” against those involved.

The outrageous image of desecration of Christian iconography surfaced in the context of an ongoing Israeli invasion of Lebanon that President Donald Trump claimed had entered a ceasefire period to allow for peace talks on Thursday. The text of the IDF statement on the matter stated only that “the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon” and did not specify whether the military had confirmed that the photograph was authentic and undoctored.

The assurance that the IDF is preparing to take “appropriate measures” against individuals involved suggests that officials do consider that those involved have behaved inappropriately, either truly engaging in the behavior photographed or producing the image to escalate tensions between Christians in Lebanon and Israel. The IDF statement also described the situation around the photo as an “incident” and stated that its soldiers are working to help restore the statue, again indicating that officials do not believe the photo was doctored or created with artificial intelligence.

Could the soldier who committed the disgusting act have been an ultra-Orthodox extremist? I don't know, but here's a case where a valid condemnation and complaint can be lodged against a soldier for doing something dirty that damages morale along with the IDF's expected mission. It's entirely possible the soldier did it deliberately to flare tensions. And division is the last thing we need at a time when the Hezbollah is still bound to be a serious danger. I hope the statue can be repaired, and that's something the IDF should do, along with sentencing the corrupt soldier to prison for the offensive act that was completely uncalled for.

The IDF sadly has a problem with gender bigotry, pro-LGBT positions and even dhimmitude to PLO figures, even after October 7, 2023

A horrifying case turned up of female IDF soldiers who were court-martialed for wearing outfits like tank tops when they were being discharged, and it's caused valid outrage:

The IDF court-martialed three female soldiers and docked a third of their salaries for wearing purportedly revealing clothes to base when they arrived to be discharged this week, two of the soldiers’ mothers said.

The military confirmed the incident on Friday, saying it “constitutes a departure from orders and was therefore handled by the deputy commander of the unit in accordance with the IDF’s disciplinary code of conduct.” The women had a right to appeal, the military added.

Soldiers typically show up to base in civilian clothing on the day of their discharge, when they often take celebratory photos of themselves cutting their military ID cards once they return their equipment and complete the requisite paperwork.

On social media, one of the mothers shared the ID-cutting photo that her daughter, who had served as a commander in basic training for non-combat soldiers, took with some colleagues who were also finishing their service.

Three of the women in the photo wore a tank top, a short skirt and a crop top, respectively. Shortly after they cut their ID cards, the three were put on trial and fined for “dressing inappropriately,” she said, calling the incident “repulsive and humiliating.”

“We got home, with headlines in the background about funding for draft-dodging Haredim and about Holocaust Remembrance Day, and it hit me,” she wrote about the immediate aftermath. “How upside-down everything is here. And what an incredible girl I have.”

Another of the soldiers’ mothers suggested on Facebook that her daughter’s “show trial” was a case study in misogyny.

“What was the point? To educate? To make an example of them? To stop them from repeating the horrible act of wearing jeans and a tank top?” wrote the mother, an attorney, on Facebook. “I wonder if male soldiers being discharged while wearing a tank top would have also been court-martialed. For some reason, I think not.”

On this, they may be alluding to how the IDF is quite possibly far more likely to take an entirely different direction when it comes to male homosexuality: if some gay men were practically photographing themselves kissing while wearing said outfits, chances are more likely they'd see no such disciplinary action at all. And there have been strong suggestions that's the disturbing situation in the IDF. Suggesting in turn they have a "classist" system at work, where men anywhere similar to Haredis are considered a degree above women in status, but a degree below gay men. Women rightfully offended by this incident should also consider that, if LGBT movements haven't backed them, that's exactly why they shouldn't rely upon said movements for side support, just like Jewish movements in the USA shouldn't rely on LGBT movements when it comes to seeking support against antisemitism, and let's not forget how supporters of transsexual ideology enabled misogyny to flourish in the past decade, along with antisemitism.

The incident came amid renewed criticism of religious coercion in the armed forces following the recent detention of four Border Police combat medics accused of “harming religion and Judaism” by barbecuing in a non-populated part of a base during the Jewish Sabbath.

MK Naama Lazimi, of the left-leaning Democrats party, slammed the punishment of the women as theocratic overreach.

“We have to protect the IDF from this insanity,” wrote Lazimi, adding that the women should “not only sue, but issue a sexual harassment complaint.”

“Fining a woman for her civilian clothing is to humiliate her, turn her into a sexual object and in practice sexually harass her by disparagement and comments about her clothing,” wrote Lazimi on Instagram.

While I don't approve of Lazimi's leftist politics, and wouldn't be surprised if she's not being altruistic (what are the chances she has no issues with Islam's misogyny?), the complaints in themselves are valid, and the victims of this abomination should take legal action against any and all staffers who made petty issues over their outfits, which should not be even the least bit controversial, even in military service. It should also be noted that this is practically what led to October 7, 2023, and that the IDF would do something so repulsive after what many Jewish women were graphically raped and murdered for as much as their ethnicity is unspeakably evil. Those army staffers who court martialed the girls should not be working in the army at all. They should be arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned.

Meanwhile, the military has promoted the expansion of gender-segregated frameworks to accommodate ultra-Orthodox soldiers, and a recent conservative campaign has called to remove women from the army outright.

Earlier this month, the IDF took down the music video of an original Passover song that was included in the army rabbinate’s Hagaddah, which critics said consigned women to the home and neglected their contributions in the military.

The furor over the Passover song came days after criticism within the Shin Bet over a letter from the spouse of the security agency’s chief, David Zini, to “the wives of security personnel,” which was seen to reinforce gender stereotypes.

Well this too is decidedly an embarrassment, and one of the worst things about this debacle is that it was quite possibly intended to damage the Netanyahu government's reputation, and even cause damage during the upcoming election later this year. Which is precisely why it's vital this subject be addressed publicly, and the country's rabbinate would do well to reach out to the girls and show solidarity with them. Yes, I am firmly serious here. Right-wing and Orthodox Judaist movements should openly address this now.

I also noticed in the article comments section the following:

My daughter is one of the women. It was actually 4 soldiers that were court-martialed, not 3. The fourth one was cropped out of this picture. She came home that day on Monday with such a bad taste in her mouth from her last day of service. She said many, many soldiers come like that on their last day, and none of them had any idea this could happen.

I'm most terribly sorry this happened, and hope the observant Orthodox Judaist community in Israel feels the same way. That's why they have to publicly speak out in the girls' defense and let them know the IDF doesn't speak for Orthodox Judaists. They'd also do well to condemn the IDF requiring women in a marathon wear pants while men were allowed to wear shorts. That too is deeply offensive and gender-bigoted.

Equally disturbing is an incident that occurred in the past month, where a soldier was disciplined/dismissed for toppling a statue of PLO savage Yaser Arafat, and that too strongly suggests the IDF's overlorded by leftists who see nothing wrong with Islamofacism, despite any recent indications to the contrary. Let's be clear. This kind of cowardice cannot continue, and any and all personnel who were involved in the humiliation of those 4 lady soldiers owes a colossal apology, and must resign, not to mention ensure that in or out of the army, they'll make sure these kind of misogynist monstrosities don't happen any longer in the post-October 7 era.

Negotiations with Lebanon

With the Iranian threat of missiles stopped for now, the Israeli government says it's going to negotiate a peace deal with Lebanon, which includes a demand to disarm the Hezbollah jihadist organization:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel will begin direct negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” aimed at disarming Hezbollah and advancing what he described as a “historic, sustainable peace agreement,” as tensions persist over the scope of the fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

The directive, issued following a cabinet decision, came after what Netanyahu described as repeated requests from the Lebanese government to open direct talks, with the negotiations set to focus on dismantling Hezbollah’s military capabilities and establishing peaceful relations between the neighboring states.

“The negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel “appreciates” the Lebanese prime minister’s call to demilitarize Beirut.

Addressing residents of northern Israel after the announcement, Netanyahu stressed that the diplomatic track does not signal a halt in military operations, declaring that “there is no ceasefire in Lebanon” and that Israeli forces will continue striking Hezbollah “with full force” until security is restored.

Indeed, the Hezbollah's still been attacking Israel with their own missiles, and there's sadly no guarantee Iran will comply honestly with demands from the USA in the long run, so long as they're still under the thumb of Islamofascists. As far as Lebanon is concerned, an effort must be made to get the Islamofascists out of any rulership there, and make it safe for non-Muslims again. And there's no telling if any negotiations with the Lebanese government will bring positive results.