Monday, Israel’s 45th Day of War
By Sherwin Pomerantz
The 45th day of war in Israel dawned with 236 hostages still being kept by Hamas. On Sunday night there was an emergency meeting of the Israeli Cabinet to discuss an offer by Hamas made through the Qataris to release a significant number of hostages (women, children and foreign nationals) for a three-day suspension of the fighting as well as other considerations not yet made public. The Cabinet said it would consider any serious and verifiable offer by Hamas to free some or all of the hostages. There was even a rumor that this would start at 1100 this morning local time but that time has passed and there is no agreement. So the stalemate on release of the hostages continues.
The IDF now has conclusive proof that Noa Marciano, the young woman who died in captivity, was taken into Shifa Hospital in Gaza in early October with non-life-threatening injuries and came out in a body bag, clearly having been murdered by Hamas. Supporting video from Shifa Hospital security cameras show additional hostages being brought there who were not injured, adding veracity to Israel’s claim that the building was used as a Hamas activity center.
Military action continues on both borders. Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel while Hizballah continues firing mortars into northern Israel. Late this afternoon a barrage from Hizballah destroyed an Israeli military post in the Western Galilee. Not a good thing to be sure.
Security sources suspect that the head of Hamas, Yeheh Sinwar and the “military brains” behind Hamas, Mohammed Dieff, have fled south, and are probably hiding out in Khan Yunis, Dieff’s hometown. Earlier today Israel captured 300 Hamas terrorists and brought them to Israel for questioning. Hopefully some of them have intel that will aid us in the search for the hostages.
Israel’s Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, said that Israel is now wrapping up the first phase of the battle plan and is ready to enter the second phase. Ynetnews reported that as part of the end game of phase one, the IDF is getting ready to enter Sangia, a Gaza town with one of Hamas’ strongest battalions. This was also where Israel suffered huge losses during the Tzuk Eitan battle in 2014. Defense Minister Gallant was not specific about what the second phase would be, but military analysts suspect he is talking about sending troops into the south. This is going to be a difficult struggle, according to analysts.
Because of the difficulties the IDF faces, Israel is still taking a slow and steady approach, especially as it considers entering southern Gaza. Experts also say that the Rafiah crossing into Sinai is problematic as tunnels there have been used for years to smuggle in tens of thousands of weapons for Hamas’ use, many used in the Oct 7th massacre.
The good news is that in the last few weeks 100 young people who live abroad have made Aliyah and have joined the IDF as lone soldiers. Bless them all for doing this and may they bring honor to Israel as we thank them for their dedication to their people and its land.
As is obvious, those of us who live here, are facing the greatest challenge to our continued existence as a free people since 1973. The threat reminds us of what is at stake, so ably summarized by former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during World War II when he said: “The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government.” Let’s hope both we the people and our government are up to the challenge.
And on this World Children’s Day let’s hope we get our 38 children back quickly and safely so that they may be with their families once again.
And:
46th day.
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Israel’s 46th Day of War
By Sherwin Pomerantz
On rhis, the 46th day of the war in Israel, we have now lost 66 of our troops to the conflict, with some of those, sadly, being from friendly fire. 236 hostages remain under Hamas control in Gaza and hopefully they are all still alive and relatively well.
Twenty-eight premature babies who had been in intensive care at Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza were transported across the border to Egypt for medical care on Monday, according to the United Nations and an Egyptian state television network, Al Qahera News. But five others who had been cared for at the hospital died before they could be evacuated. The Israeli military said in a statement it had helped to facilitate the evacuation from the pediatric ward and provided incubators to Al-Shifa. It was not clear whether those were the incubators used to transport the babies
According to senior Israeli officials, there is a strong possibility that the details of a hostage deal will be finalized tonight, Israeli media reported. The proposed agreement involves the release of between 50-100 Israeli civilians, including children and their mothers in exchange for a four-day ceasefire. It will take place in a 1:3 format, three Palestinian prisoners (most likely female terrorists regardless of age and male terrorists under the age of 18) for each hostage.
Under the terms of the deal, Hamas has committed to locating the remaining children and mothers. In return, Israel has agreed to release women and minors from Israeli prisons who were involved in acts of terror. Additionally, both parties are expected to confirm the provision of fuel and monetary assistance in the Gaza Strip. According to a CNN report, American officials hope that among the hostages that will be released is a 3-year-old American citizen. The Israeli Cabinet has scheduled a meeting at 8 PM local time tonight, Tuesday, to discuss and ratify the terms of the agreement.
An Israeli strike in south Lebanon killed two journalists and a civilian, official Lebanese media claimed on Tuesday, shortly after the Israel Defense Forces said it struck several Hezbollah anti-tank missile squads in southern Lebanon and other sites in response to missile fire toward Metula, in northern Israel. Shortly before 9 a.m., three anti-tank guided missiles were fired from Lebanon at the Metula area, close to the border. A short while later, several mortars were fired from Lebanon at an army post on the border, causing no injuries, according to the IDF. In response, the IDF said it struck several sites belonging to the Iran-backed terror group, as well as three Hezbollah missile squads preparing to carry out further attacks.
Let us hope that some agreement will be reached over the next 12 hours so that we will see at least some of the hostages exit from the hands of Hamas and return to the warm loving arms of their families or, in some cases, what remains of their families. May that come to pass before sunrise tomorrow.
Sherwin Pomerantz has lived in Israel for 40 years, is CEO of Atid EDI Ltd., a international business development consultancy. He is also the Founder and Chair of the American State Offices Association, former National President of the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel and a past Chairperson of the Board of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.
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The Great Awakening of (Some on) the American LeftBy Derek Hunter
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This Is Javier Milei's Advice to Americans About Socialism
By Leah Barkoukis
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Sarandon gets a deserved slam.
Meanwhile Iran is weaponizing Russia in its fight against Ukraine. A lucid/strong president would attack Iran and destroy critical equipment etc. But we have a wimp as president who does not even know what exit to leave by.
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Susan Sarandon dumped by Hollywood agency UTA over anti-Jewish rant
By Sara Nathan
Oscar winner Susan Sarandon has been dropped by top Hollywood agency UTA after saying frightened Jews are “getting a taste of how it feels to be Muslim in America,” Page Six can reveal.
The 77-year-old actress has spent the past few weeks raging against Israel and is now under fire for her latest outburst in the wake of the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Sources say several staffers at UTA were extremely hurt by Sarandon’s comments.
A UTA spokesperson told Page Six Tuesday the agency is no longer representing Sarandon.
Sarandon, the star of hit movies including “Thelma & Louise,” won her Oscar for “Dead Man Walking,” and had been a client of UTA since 2014.
Sarandon has appeared in two movies this year, DC spin-off “Blue Beetle,” which was a box-office flop, and rom-com “Maybe I Do,” with fellow veterans Diane Keaton, Richard Gere and William H. Macy, and has three other films in post-production.
Sarandon enraged people with her comments at a pro-Palestinian protest in NYC last week.
“There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country,” she said.
Aviva Klompas, the former director of speechwriting at the Israeli Mission to the United Nations, wrote: “When Susan Sarandon said that Jews ‘are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country’ she was saying that American Jews have it coming — that we don’t deserve to live free from harassment and assault.”
This left not just Jews fuming, but others including Asra Nomani, a Muslim Indian American who responded to Sarandon on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a list of the freedoms she and her parents enjoy in the US.
Asra Nomani, a Pakistani refugee, raged about Sarandon on X, writing: “Go, live like a Muslim woman in a Muslim country. You will come back to America and kiss the land beneath your feet.”
Sharing a photo of herself with her parents, Nomani wrote: “‘Hi there Susan Sarandon, this is my mom, my dad and me on the rail trail in Morgantown, West by God Virginia. Let me tell you what it means to be Muslim in America.
“My dad didn’t have to become a second-class indentured servant to one of the many tyrants of Muslim countries that use immigrants from India, like my family, as essential slaves…my dad got a job as an assistant professor of nutrition.
“He got rejected first for tenure but being Muslim in America meant he got a right like everybody got — his right to appeal and guess what? He won and he became a full professor.
“My mom? Being Muslim in America meant she got to live FREE with the wind in her hair, like Masih Alinejad fights for women in the Muslim nation of Iran to be able to enjoy.”
Nomani also said she was able to give birth safely and freely to a baby out of wedlock in America — something that would have led to her death in some Muslim countries.
“This is a ‘taste’ of life for a Muslim family in America. Please don’t minimize the experience of Jewish Americans by sanitizing the hell that it is for Muslims living in Muslim countries and vilifying America for the life — and freedoms — she offers Muslims like my family,” she added.
Julianna Marguiles
“The Good Wife” star Julianna Marguiles called antisemitism in Hollywood “shocking” recently.
Rob Latour/Shutterstock
“Go, live like a Muslim woman in a Muslim country. You will come back to America and kiss the land beneath your feet,” she said.
What do you think? Post a comment.
Last year, Sarandon shared a Twitter post comparing police gathered at the funeral of slain NYPD Detective Jason Rivera to fascists.
She has already left people appalled by reposting a tweet from a far-right account claiming that an Israeli helicopter had murdered Israeli citizens on October 7.
Maha Dakhil
CAA top agent Maha Dakhil has stepped down from her leadership role at the agency in the wake of her own online comments, believed to be anti-Israel.
Hollywood has suffered an uptick in antisemitism since October 7, as actress Julianna Marguiles noted to Variety.
As we revealed, CAA top agent Maha Dakhil — who represents Tom Cruise, Natalie Portman and Reese Witherspoon, among other A-listers — has been on a “listening tour” of Jewish leaders after she reposted an Instagram Story that read, “You’re currently learning who supports genocide,” adding: “that’s the line for me.”
She has stepped down from her leadership role at CAA.
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Why are they still employed? Why are they drawing a salary?
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