ISRAEL (IINO)
No consensus on ‘the day after’: IDSF Security Conference Analyzes the Israel-Hamas war By FELICE FRIEDSON, AARON PORIS
“We are fighting an Islamic worldview with a different way of thinking. The way they see it is that if they can’t win today, they’ll wait patiently for tomorrow.”
JANUARY 30, 2024 08:26 – As the Israel-Hamas war continues for its fourth month, dozens of Israel’s top military thinkers gathered to discuss the next steps in the war as well as the days after its inevitable end.
Sponsored by the Israel Defense and Security Forum, a group of some 16,000 reserve officers and operatives from Israel’s security forces focused on the country’s security needs, the conference was held in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, from where residents were evacuated in October following heavy Hamas rocket fire.
Among the key concerns discussed at the conference were: Iran, Qatar, and other sources of funding for Hamas; the expansion of the war to new fronts, especially against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen; Hamas’ infiltration into UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency; who will control Gaza after the conflict, and Western pressures to establish a Palestinian state despite the current hostilities.
The conference leaned heavily towards hawkish and right-wing participants, including far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who gave a one-on-one interview there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a short pre-recorded speech. Former Knesset member Ruth Wasserman Lande of the center-right Blue and White party also attended.
Speakers largely agreed on the end goals for the war: the defeat of Hamas, the dismantling of UNRWA, the external interim control of Gaza, and other issues.
However, they differed in their approaches. Some agreed with the concept of an international coalition overseeing administrative control of Gaza’s rehabilitation and restructuring, while others, such as Smotrich, argued that “either Israel will control Gaza, or Hamas will.”
UNRWA and humanitarian aid must no longer be in the hands of Hamas
Smotrich said this extended even to the dissemination of humanitarian aid.
‘Mothers of IDF Soldiers’ converges on US Embassy, demands end to Gaza aid AMELIE BOTBOL
“Any deal that involves releasing Hamas murderers and those with blood on their hands puts not only our sons but the entire country at risk,” says Mothers of IDF soldiers spokeswoman.
(January 31, 2024 / JNS) – Israeli grassroots movement Mothers of IDF Soldiers, together with the IDF Reservists movement, gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday to demand an end to humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“We support the Israeli government’s decision to wage war and eradicate Hamas and we are grateful and appreciative of the sacrifices our soldiers make on a daily basis to protect the State of Israel,” Mirit Hoffman, an English-language spokeswoman for Mothers of IDF Soldiers, told JNS.
“We do not support sending humanitarian aid, otherwise known as Hamas aid, to Gaza,” she added. “Since the Biden administration has been putting pressure on the Israeli government to do so, we are going to the source,” she added.
Grassroots Israeli protests against Gaza aid grow PESACH BENSON
“To come to these protests is the most important contribution we as the home front make to the war effort.”
(January 31, 2024 / JNS) – Despite government efforts, hundreds of Israeli protesters have made their way to the Kerem Shalom border crossing every day for more than a week to demonstrate against deliveries of humanitarian aid to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Last week, the Israel Defense Forces designated the area a closed military zone to curtail the now-daily gatherings. Nevertheless, the protests have continued.
The protesters, many of whom are relatives of Hamas hostages or IDF soldiers fighting in Gaza, say that food, water and fuel are stolen by Hamas once they arrive inside the Strip.
Among the protesters at Kerem Shalom on Monday was Noga Alfasi, whose 56-year-old aunt, Maya Goren, was murdered in captivity by Hamas.
“I did not come here to starve the [Gazan] people, and I did not come to abuse the people. And I think I even came here for the Gazans [in a way]. If we just go ahead and give aid and spread this whole thing, the war won’t end,” Alfasi told JNS.
“My aunt was kidnapped from a kindergarten. That’s not humanitarian. They murdered her…and that’s not humanitarian,” she continued, stressing that information about her aunt’s death came from Israeli intelligence and not from Hamas. “And that is not humanitarian” either, she added.
Under the terms of a temporary ceasefire in November, Hamas was supposed to return all the captive women and children, alive or dead, but Goren’s body remains in Gaza.
“If this aid is…out of mercy, then I don’t understand who the mercy is for,” said Alfasi.
PA cabinet leader: Elimination of terrorists in Jenin is a war crime Dalit Halevi
PA cabinet leader criticizes Israel for eliminating three terrorists who planned an attack inspired by October 7.
Jan 31, 2024, 5:44 AM (GMT+2) – Palestinian Authority (PA) cabinet leader Mohammad Shtayyeh on Tuesday strongly condemned the IDF’s operation in Jenin against a terrorist cell that planned a mass attack.
In a joint operation by the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the Yamam counterterrorism unit and the IDF, three armed Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists were eliminated overnight Monday as they were hiding in the Ibn Sina hospital in the city of Jenin.
The three were planning to carry out an attack in the near future which was inspired by the Hamas massacre of October 7.
In a statement, Shtayyeh claimed that Israel feels that it can escape punishment and this encourages it to continue committing “crimes”.
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He added that the Israeli raid on hospitals and carrying out “executions” of patients and inflicting terror on patients and doctors, as he claimed occurred at the Ibn Sina hospital, is a “war crime” according to international law and international humanitarian law.
The PA cabinet leader called on the International Court of Justice to intervene immediately and approve a decision that would demand an end to the crimes of mass destruction in light of Israel’s refusal to implement the orders the court issued against it.
[Ed.: Tee-hee! We should probably turn ourselves in to the ICJ at this point!]
Security forces breach hospital – dressed as women and medical staff Israel National News
Footage from Jenin shows security forces entering hospital dressed as women, medical staff, in operation which led to the deaths of three terrorists.
Jan 30, 2024, 8:57 AM (GMT+2) – The Israeli forces which eliminated three Hamas terrorists in Jenin’s Ibn Sina hospital completed their task within about ten minutes.
The three terrorists were eliminated by undercover officers from Israel’s National Counterterrorism Unit, some of whom were dressed as doctors and nurses. The forces raided the hospital, in a smooth operation which lasted only a few minutes, eliminating the terrorists who were in a hidden room on one of the levels.
A senior source said, “There are no cities of refuge in Judea and Samaria, and there will not be any – let every terrorist know this. The arms of the IDF and security forces will reach them all.”
The forces entered the hospital at around 5:30 a.m., and within minutes, the terrorists had already been eliminated. The most senior of the three terrorists, Mohammed Jalamneh, was armed with a pistol, which was seized by security forces. The terrorists did not manage to respond to the forces, and by 5:40 a.m. the forces began to make their exit.
The operation was made possible by precise intelligence received prior to the operation, which was unprecedented in Israel.
Related articles:
- New details on Jenin hospital terrorist elimination
- ‘Elimination of terrorists in Jenin is a war crime’
- ‘Where necessary, we enter the most complex places’
- IDF eliminates three terrorists in Jenin hospital
Israeli security forces are aware that many terrorists hide in hospitals throughout Judea and Samaria and use the hospitals to manage their terror infrastructure, since they believe that Israeli forces will not enter such a place.
Many terrorists use the Ibn Sina hospital as a refuge, and in many operations the IDF has conducted, terrorists fired at the forces from hospital grounds, and hurled explosives, rocks, and firebombs at them.
Sources from within the hospital said, “Around ten people who were members of a special force were wearing civilian clothes and doctors’ and nurses’ uniforms. They infiltrated the hospital and went to the third floor and eliminated the three young men using silencer guns.”
New footage reveals additional details on terrorist elimination in Jenin hospital Israel National News
Al Jazeera publishes new footage of operation which saw three Hamas terrorists eliminated in a Jenin hospital.
Jan 31, 2024, 9:43 AM (GMT+2)
‘Clandestine’ Israeli plan for day-after Gaza war could include Palestinian state – report i24NEWS
‘A group of businessmen’ of varying degrees of closeness to Netanyahu had reportedly already shared a multi-stage plan with official American figures
January 31, 2024 at 04:14 AM – A day-after-the-war plan for the Gaza Strip which would open the door for a potential future Palestinian state, as well as a broader regional Arab normalization agreement with Israel, was being planned by “a group of businessmen” closely connected to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Maariv journalist Ben Caspit and published by The Jerusalem Post.
According to the report, this multi-stage plan was “shared with official American figures” but remained a “clandestine plan” led by the businessmen, one of whom was described as being “especially close” to the Israeli prime minister, in an approach which “typifies Netanyahu’s method” of multiple envoys on parallel missions in maintain distance and non-commitment.
Click here for more updates on the Israel-Hamas war
The first stage was reported in JPost as a “comprehensive Israeli military government in Gaza,” which would also be tasked with overseeing the delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as being responsible for the civilian population during a “transition period.”
The next stage would transfer most control to an Arab coalition of nations that have normalized relations with Israel, as well as Saudi Arabia which was on the verge of an recognizing Israel before the war broke out and has conditioned normalization on serious steps toward a Palestinian state.
[Ed.: ‘Talk is cheap’, especially when it’s used fill time and space.]
Israel tasks military to distribute aid directly to citizens in Gaza – report i24NEWS
IDF humanitarian compounds for distribution in the north and center of the Gaza Strip, would reportedly prevent diversion of supplies to Hamas
January 31, 2024 at 04:44 AM – A humanitarian compound constructed and run by the Israeli military (IDF) will be established in the north and center of the Gaza Strip, according to the Israel Hayom newspaper.
According to the report, the plan would ensure humanitarian aid reached the civilians in Gaza and not Hamas terrorists, which have been shown to steal directly from the trucks, as well as being part of international agencies such as UNRWA.
The IDF began formulating a plan, following instructions from the Israeli government, according to Israel Hayom, which added that international bodies may work with the army in distributing the aid directly to the civilians, but the plans may yet change since it is only at the initial stages.
Speaking on what happens after the war, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday said that there was no plan to rule Gaza civilly, but did not indicate what would happen as the conflict wages on.
A report on Wednesday at The Jerusalem Post suggested that there was a multi-stage plan led by “a group of businessmen” close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of a first phase there would be a military government that would be responsible for the civilian population and would oversee the delivery of humanitarian aid.
In the meantime, Israel Hayom concluded that the IDF awaits instructions from the political echelon and would act accordingly. But the plan did not meet a wide political approval.
Israeli lawmaker Sharren Haskel, from the National Unity party led by War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, voiced her disapproval and said there were organizations with experience that could do the job rather than endangering IDF soldiers.
Lawmakers from the original right-wing coalition have mostly voiced approval of the reports, saying it would deprive Hamas of their governmental capacity as part of dismantling the terrorist organization, as well as potentially help in the effort to return hostages held in Gaza since October 7.
ISRAEL PREPARES FOR NORTHERN WARFARE
The Emergency Department of the Ministry of Justice has issued a directive to its employees, urging them to ready themselves for an imminent conflict in the northern region, expected to impact the electricity infrastructure.
The letter advises, “It is prudent to anticipate several days of nationwide blackout due to the potential of a Northern war.” Furthermore, “The National Emergency Authority has mandated government ministries to brace for substantial infrastructure damage and a ‘national blackout,’ wherein a minimum of 60 percent of the population could be without electricity for a duration ranging from 24 to 48 hours, with certain areas potentially enduring up to 72 hours.”
ISRAEL REALTIME — “Connecting the World to Israel in Realtime”
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Returning to the Gaza Strip – Highlights of the Victory Rally [4:57]
[Ed.: Apparently, I’m not the only one who knows which end is up with Gaza! Each of these folks are my supporters!]
NEW: Israeli Defense Minister Announces Imminent Ground Troop Deployment on Lebanese Border By Fernando De Castro
Jan. 30, 2024 2:00 pm – Israel’s Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, stated on Monday that the country’s ground troops will take action “very soon” along the Lebanese border. The Israeli offensive comes as exchanges of gunfire between Israelis and Hezbollah intensify, escalating the risks of a direct confrontation in the region.
In a video released by the Ministry of Defense, Mr. Gallant declared:
“We have strengthened our positions in the North, and we will gradually release reservists so they can prepare and be ready for the upcoming actions. And very soon, they will be sent into action.”
The Defense Minister’s statements coincide with at least 12 Hezbollah attacks recorded against Israeli positions on the same day. At least three shots landed in open areas near Kiryat Shmona, according to the Israeli Army.
In response, a Hezbollah observation post and other group infrastructures were targeted, as confirmed by the Israeli military.
Since the October 7 attacks by the Hamas terrorist group against Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths, the Lebanese political-military group Hezbollah, also supported by Iran, has been firing rockets and artillery into Northern Israel.
These actions are considered acts of solidarity with the Palestinian organization. In retaliation, Israel has also launched its own attacks on positions within Lebanon in response to the acts of terror committed by Hezbollah.
“Every second seemed like an eternity” says former Hamas captive Amit Soussana i24NEWS
Amit Soussana
Amit Soussana speaks out on her experience in Hamas captivity for the first time since her return
January 29, 2024 at 02:00 PM – Amit Soussana, who spent 55 days in Hamas captivity, has spoken for the first time to foreign media, shedding light on the traumatic experience of her abduction and subsequent detention in Gaza.
“They tied my hands and feet and dragged me to Gaza. It was very violent. I continued to resist until they finally tied my hands and feet and dragged me to the ground. It took them more than an hour to take me to the border. I was beaten. My whole face and body were swollen,” revealed Soussana on Israeli media.
Soussana, who was taken on foot from the kibbutz Kfar Azza to the Gaza border, emphasized the intense physical and emotional toll of the ordeal. “I was emotionally and physically terrorized during my 55 days in captivity, feeling like every moment could be my last. Every second seemed like an eternity,” she shared with the foreign media.
She recounted the challenging living conditions in the tunnel where she was held, describing them as “inhumane.” Soussana expressed the constant fear and tension associated with being a prisoner of Hamas. “Being a prisoner of Hamas means being afraid to smile at every moment. When you are a prisoner of Hamas, you are always on edge. It’s forbidden to talk, it’s forbidden to cry, and even to comfort each other in hard times,” she said.
She also disclosed the demolition of her house by Hamas terrorists, adding another layer to the distressing narrative of her captivity. “I hope the hostages can keep their faith alive and stay strong. But even the toughest souls can only last so long,” she concluded.
While Amit Soussana has been released from captivity, over 130 people remain detained in Gaza, enduring the uncertainties and hardships associated with their situation. Sosna’s courageous testimony sheds light on the human cost of such actions and serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those held against their will.
Report: Defense Minister Gallant promised US not to let Jews return to Gaza Strip Israel National News
During a meeting with US Ambassador and Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs, the Defense Minister stressed the buffer zone would be temporary and for security purposes only.
Jan 29, 2024, 6:02 PM (GMT+2) – Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant told US officials last week that he and the Israeli military will not allow the rebuilding of Israeli communities inside the Gaza Strip, Axios reported, citing US and Israeli officials.
According to the report, during a meeting with Gallant, US Ambassador Jack Lew and US Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs David Satterfield asked whether the planned buffer zone along the Israel-Gaza border was a basis for building Jewish communities. They stressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s public remarks that rejected any change in the territory of Gaza and opposed any harm to civilian infrastructure.
Gallant committed that he would not allow the rebuilding of communities in Gaza and stressed the buffer zone would be temporary and for security purposes only.
The report adds that Oded Basyuk, the head of the IDF Operations Branch, said at the meeting that the IDF would not allow Israeli civilians to enter the buffer zone because it would contradict the security purpose, a senior Israeli official said.
Gush Katif, Israel-US, Jack Lew, Buffer Zone, Yoav Gallant
[Ed.: There is no way IINO could ever win a war with Defense Ministers promising to give away land to the enemy… I just looked up the antonym for ‘Gallant’: cowardly fearful chicken chickenhearted chicken-livered coward craven dastardly fainthearted gutless lily-livered milk-livered nerveless poltroon poor-spirited pusillanimous spineless spiritless timorous uncourageous ungallant unheroic weakhearted yellow ignoble afraid meek shy timid ungentlemanly unmannerly unrefined unwilling weak soft wimpish feeble recreant wimpy cowering scared wet quaking nervous frightened mousy trembling shrinking mousey sissy jittery sissified apprehensive diffident tremulous boneless panicky skittish abject base anxious scary irresolute fearsome caitiff pigeon-hearted retiring wussy dismayed sookie unassertive hesitant cringey submissive niddering faint-hearted weak-kneed chicken-hearted pigeon-hearted yellow-bellied]
Benny Gantz to residents of southern Israel: The war could last an entire generation Israel National News
In closed meeting with residents of Gaza border region, Min. Benny Gantz stresses hostages need to take priority, warns war against Hamas may last years.
Doesn’t have a clue
Jan 29, 2024, 12:16 PM (GMT+2) – Minister Benny Gantz (National Unity), a member of Israel’s War Cabinet, warned that the war against Hamas may take even a “generation” to complete.
Speaking to representatives of the Otef Israel Forum, which represents over 2,000 residents of the Gaza border region, Gantz stressed that while Israel may be waging the war against Hamas for years, time is short for those held hostage in Gaza.
“This war could last a year, ten years, or even an entire generation,” Channel 12 News quoted Gantz as saying. “We have time to destroy Hamas. The hostages have no time – right now, that is the priority.”
“A complete removal of the threat will take time,” he added. “Hopefully there will be relative safety in the summer. We will soon reach Rafah.”
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On Sunday night, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (Likud) said, “As long as there are hostages still held in the Gaza strip, we have no right to stop looking for the women, the children, the soldiers who are there – we have to go all the way. And military action does not necessarily result in an operational outcome, but also in the fact that at the end there are those who are ready to talk to us.”
Benny Gantz, hostages, Swords of Iron
[Ed.: Dick-head Gantz is being over-optimistic! It wont take “years” at all! With our loser ‘leaders’ like Gantz the shwantz, we will be wiped out within a month or two!!]
Heavy rocket barrage targets central Israel, direct impact reported | LIVE UPDATES
Hamas has accepted responsibility for the rocket fired from Khan Yunis, northern Gaza strip Matthias Inbar, Jonathan Regev, Ariel Oseran
January 29, 2024 at 10:21 AM – 09:53 AM
🚨Incoming rocket alert sirens sound in Tel Aviv area and central Israel
Very heavy rocket barrage across central Israel [greater Tel Aviv area], direct impacts reported [Emphasis added]
MDA has reported that following the alarms teams “went out to search the scenes where a report was received. At this point, no casualties have been reported”
Man orphaned in the 7/10 massacre: ‘It’s all up to us; we need a fundamental change’ Yoni Kempinski
Daniel Weiss of Kibbutz Be’eri, who lost both parents in the Oct. 7th attack, tells how he finds solace in music and talks about the change he believes needs to happen in Israeli society.
Jan 28, 2024, 11:09 PM (GMT+2) – Daniel Weiss, a resident of Be’eri whose parents were murdered by Hamas terrorists, spoke to Arutz Sheva – Israel National News at the signing of the Bereshit Treaty, about how he finds the strength to continue forward, despite the terrible tragedy that befell his family.
“We all have strengths, the question is whether we want to deny them, or flow into them. For me, pain is a drive and I use it to find healing through singing. Everyone does it in a different way. Singing has always been strong for me and was a tool of expression. My mother always sang in choirs and also when we were children before going to sleep. My father also liked music. I was the only one who took it a few steps further, but our home was very musical. Music did us good and brought us together,” says Weiss.
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According to Weiss, “The strongest goal is for us to be together with a very clear message, and to act in such a way that we take responsibility and do not blame anyone. Everything depends on us and if we do not act for ourselves, first of all, then no one will do it for us. Many of us feel that they were abandoned, and it doesn’t matter if it’s true or not. It’s clear to us that something needs to undergo a fundamental change.”
Bereshit, Kibbutz Be’eri, Swords of Iron
[Ed.: This guy’s got it. We need to fundamentally change the structure of Israel’s government, fundamentally change those in charge of Israel’s Defense Forces, and fundamentally change Israel’s Judicial structure. But, there’s little hope of accomplishing that, and little time left to do so. ‘Our ass is grass’ – as the expression goes.]
Report: Soldiers not permitted to open fire at suspicious persons on Gaza border Israel National News
IDF’s rules of engagement do not make it possible to enforce new security zone that was announced at the beginning of the war.
Jan 29, 2024, 3:41 AM (GMT+2) – At the start of the war, the defense establishment announced a new security zone in the Gaza Strip, at a depth of one kilometer from the border with Israel, to prevent Palestinian Arabs from approaching the fence due to concerns they could be terrorists in disguise, as occurred before the Hamas attack on October 7.
However, as Kan 11 News published on Sunday, the IDF’s rules of engagement have changed in the last month in such a manner that they do not allow the new parameter to be enforced.
Due to this, Palestinian Arabs are approaching the area of the border fence with the Gaza Strip, while the soldiers stationed there are not allowed to shoot at them.
The IDF said in response, “The IDF is prepared along the border fence with many forces and is working in a variety of ways to protect the area. The rules of engagement are orderly, and allow the forces to remove any threat, with all the tools to protect their lives.”
[Ed.: You don’t have to be a prophet to see the outcome of this war. You also don’t have to be a political scientist, or a military strategist to observe the lack of leadership in the IDF and the IINO government. You can just take out the popcorn, tune in, and witness Israel orchestrate its own demise. You know how some people just can’t step on the line in the sidewalk? IINO just will not decimate the enemy and win the war. IINO will not listen to, or follow the clear instructions of The God of Abraham. (That’s why we call it IINO!) Every time we fail to follow His instructions, we suffer the consequences. What is coming next is the inevitable result. and it will be coming swiftly (prophetically speaking) …]
[Ed.: Israel has condoned and enabled the education of Palestinian children to kill Jews for the past thirty years. What were they thinking the results would be?]
King Saul’s Failure and Bibi’s Decision: The Future of Gaza ELIE MISCHEL
JANUARY 25, 2024 – Last fall, soon after Bibi Netanyahu was elected to his fifth term as prime minister, journalist Bari Weiss asked him to name his favorite biblical character. Netanyahu replied with a fascinating answer: “King Saul. He was tragic.” Left-wingers who have spent decades trying unsuccessfully to defeat Bibi laughed at his response, predicting he would end up just like King Saul, who tragically died in battle. But the truth is that Bibi’s kinship with King Saul runs far deeper than they realize.
Only a few weeks after the horror of October 7, as the IDF prepared to launch its ground invasion of Gaza, the Prime Minister invoked God’s command in Deuteronomy 25:17 to wipe out Amalek: “You must remember what Amalek has done to you.” Bibi appropriately compared today’s murderous Hamas terrorists, who revel in the torture and murder of Jews, to the ancient tribe that heartlessly attacked the women, children and elderly of Israel in the wilderness.
But as Saul would later learn, fulfilling God’s commandment to wipe out Amalek is easier said than done. Saul’s failure to fulfill God’s will led to his downfall as king and his replacement by King David, his “fellow who was better than him” (I Samuel 15:28). Today, the most pressing question for the Prime Minister is whether he truly understands the tragedy of Saul and the lesson of Saul’s failure – for his own future depends on it.
The Sin of Saul
When God commanded Saul to destroy Amalek, He left no room for doubt; Amalek must be utterly destroyed. “You shall not have pity on him: and you shall slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass” (I Samuel 15:3). Saul dutifully gathered the people of Israel for war, and destroyed the Amalekites. But as he neared the completion of his mission, he stumbled: “And Saul and the people had pity on [King] Agag, and on the best of the sheep and the cattle, and the fatlings, and on the fattened sheep… and they did not want to destroy them” (I Samuel 15:9).
Saul’s failure to kill Agag and all of Amalek’s cattle was his undoing. God regretted anointing Saul as king of Israel and dispatched the prophet Samuel to inform Saul of his fate. “Since you rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you from being a king” (I Samuel 15:23).
