ISRAEL / (IINO)
SCREAMS BEFORE SILENCE Full Video [57:00] A documentary film on the sexual violence committed by Hamas on October 7th, Screams Before Silence is a documentary film led by American businesswoman Sheryl Sandberg, that explores the sexual violence by Hamas during the Hamas-led attack on Israel, on 7 October 2023, including events at the massacre at the Nova Festival and abductions to the Gaza Strip.
July 24, 2025 Jewish News 24
“We appreciate the efforts of mediators Qatar and Egypt and the efforts of U.S. envoy Witkoff to bring about a breakthrough in the talks,” announced Prime Minister office.
Hamas is reportedly demanding the release of 200 convicted terrorists serving life sentences for murder, along with 2,000 Palestinians arrested in Gaza since October 7, in exchange for 10 living hostages.
Following Hamas response, Israel announces that it was decided to return the negotiating team for further consultations in Israel, indicating crisis in talks.
“We appreciate the efforts of mediators Qatar and Egypt and the efforts of U.S. envoy Witkoff to bring about a breakthrough in the talks,” announced Prime Minister office.
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[Ed.: In other words, Israel’s Prime Minister Ball-less Netanyahu speaks for Jews everywhere and says: “We appreciate the efforts of Hamas’s sponsors Qatar, and President Trumps’ Nit-wit kopf to further discuss releasing 2200 terrorists for 10 hostages. We are groveling Jews who think that war is about hostages and feeding our enemy. Our Jewish blood is cheaper than camel piss saturated desert sand. Come then, let us talk further about all this and turn President Trumps dream of ‘Abraham Accords’ into an oasis of coexistence in the middle east.” We promise you in advance that we will not win this war, no matter what.]
Orwell’s Ghost in Jerusalem: The Willful Blindness of a Nation at War By Mordechai Sones
How the wartime propaganda playbook George Orwell decoded in 1942 explains Israel’s modern state of denial
July 24, 2025
In the grim spring of 1942, with the world tearing itself apart, George Orwell made a chilling observation in his diary. He was reacting to a piece of what he called “stupid” Fascist Italian propaganda which claimed that life in England was so dire the country was on the verge of collapse. The lie was obvious. “If such conditions really existed,” Orwell surmised, “England would stop fighting in a few weeks, and when this fails to happen, the listener is bound to see that he has been deceived.”
Contents
The Moral and Mental Cost of Delusion
A Sacred Cow on the Altar of Truth
But the deception worked, just not in the way one might expect. “In fact, there is no such reaction,” Orwell concluded. “You can go on and on telling lies, and the most palpable lies at that, and even if they are not actually believed, there is no strong revulsion either.”
Eighty years later, Orwell’s ghost haunts the Holy Land. His diagnosis of how societies can drown in self-serving falsehoods is playing out with breathtaking precision in Israel. In the wake of the October 7th attacks and the brutal carnage that followed, a similar dynamic has taken hold. A national myth, forged in the crucible of trauma and amplified by a relentless state apparatus, demands absolute adherence. It is a narrative of pure victimhood, of righteous fury, of a war with no moral complexities. Yet, as a courageous few begin to point out the gaping holes in this official story—the strategic blunders, the ideological follies, the horrifying cost of a secular state’s gambit—they are not met with thoughtful debate, but with a furious, reflexive rejection.
The very dynamic Orwell identified is at work. The official story contains palpable lies and distortions, yet there is no widespread revulsion. Instead, criticism is labeled as treason, and inconvenient facts are dismissed as enemy propaganda. A series of scathing critiques questioning everything from the IDF’s rules of engagement to the morality of placing female soldiers on the front lines are treated not as necessary correctives but as attacks on the national soul. To understand this fierce resistance, one must look beyond simple patriotism and into the dark psychological machinery that locks a society into a state of willful blindness.
The Iron Grip of Blind Belief
When faced with solid proof that a deeply-held belief is wrong, one might expect the believer to reconsider. Yet, particularly amidst the intense unity that characterizes a nation supposedly at war—a unity that often resembles the fervor of a cult—the exact opposite often happens: the belief digs in its heels, becoming even stronger.
This paradox was famously documented in a landmark 1950s study from the University of Minnesota. Researchers Leon Festinger, Henry Riecken, and Stanley Schachter observed a small apocalyptic cult that predicted a world-ending flood on a specific date. When the prophecy inevitably failed, the researchers expected disillusionment. Instead, the group’s leaders announced that the faith of their small flock had been so pure, it had saved the world. The members’ conviction didn’t just survive; it intensified.
This is a textbook case of what Festinger would call cognitive dissonance: the profound mental discomfort we experience when our actions or beliefs clash with new, undeniable evidence. To escape this jarring state, we must either change our belief or reinterpret the conflicting information. For a people bound by the trauma of October 7th, who have invested their entire emotional and social capital in the idea of a just and necessary war, changing the core belief is simply too costly. It would mean admitting that the immense sacrifice has been, in part, for a lie. It would mean facing the ridicule of a hostile world and losing the comfort of a unified community.
It is psychologically “easier” to double down. Strengthening the belief becomes a defense mechanism. The official narrative—that the war is faultless, that the strategies are sound, that the enemy is purely evil while we are purely good—becomes an unshakable dogma, because the alternative is a complete collapse of one’s worldview.
Echo Chambers of the Mind
This initial defense is fortified by two powerful psychological tendencies: belief perseverance and confirmation bias. Belief perseverance is our stubborn inertia, our tendency to cling to what we first believed even after it has been thoroughly discredited. When confronted with evidence of flawed IDF rules of engagement that endanger soldiers, the committed believer does not engage with the substance. They discount the source (“He’s a bitter extremist”), nitpick the evidence (“This is just one isolated incident”), or label it irrelevant (“Wartime requires tough choices”).
This is amplified by confirmation bias, the active hunt for information that supports our existing views. In today’s Israel, it is easy to live in a media ecosystem that exclusively confirms the state narrative. One can scroll for hours through stories of Hamas’s evil and our own heroism, while dismissing any critical analysis as biased or antisemitic. Ambiguous events are instantly interpreted through the lens of the established doctrine, making them seem like further proof of its validity.
Orwell saw this with stunning clarity. “Thus before the war the pinks believed any and every horror story that came out of Germany or China,” he wrote in June 1942. “Now the pinks no longer believe in German or Japanese atrocities and automatically write off all horror stories as ‘propaganda.’ In a little while you will be jeered at if you suggest that the story of Lidice could possibly be true.” The political winds shift, and suddenly, truth becomes a matter of allegiance, not fact.
The Moral and Mental Cost of Delusion
But this is not just a passive, subconscious process. In a society under extreme stress, the refusal to see contradictory evidence becomes an active, willful choice—a moral and intellectual failure.
It is a rejection of mental effort. Grappling with the arguments that modern Zionism has become a “secular betrayal,” or that it follows a Machiavellian logic that sacrifices its own people, requires immense intellectual and emotional labor. It is far easier to retreat into the comforting certainty of shared dogma, to enjoy the effortless omniscience that comes from a pre-packaged worldview. This relieves the individual of the burden of independent thought and first-hand inquiry.
This leads to a refusal to make inferences or recognize context. Evidence is rarely self-explanatory. When the Germans announced they had exterminated the village of Lidice, they provided a list of justifications: the villagers had supported assassins, harbored illegal radios, and held anti-Reich views. A critical mind would infer the monstrous disproportionality of the response. But the propagandized mind, as Orwell noted, loses the ability to assess information within its broader, real-world setting. Similarly, when critics present well-documented evidence that certain policies are failing or are based on a flawed, “feminist folly,” the context is stripped away. The discussion is reframed as an attack on equality or progress, rather than a pragmatic critique of military readiness.
Underlying all of this is a profound hubris. It is the excessive pride that makes it impossible to admit error. For a nation that sees itself as a light unto the nations, the suggestion that its foundational ideology might be flawed, or that its army—the most sacred of all Israeli institutions—is operating under a deluded and dangerous ethos, is an unbearable insult. To concede the point would feel like a personal and national defeat.
At its darkest, this willful blindness bleeds into what can only be described as wickedness: a conscious choice to perpetuate a falsehood for personal or political gain. Leaders may know the evidence is contradictory but choose to mislead the public to maintain power, control, and the veneer of righteousness. For their followers, it can manifest as a choice to uphold a system they suspect is flawed because the benefits of belonging and certainty outweigh their commitment to truth.
A Sacred Cow on the Altar of Truth
This entire framework explains the furious reaction to the evidence presented by critics like Steve Rodan, whose book In Jewish Blood argues that Zionism has historically involved sacrificing the well-being of the Jewish populace for the benefit of elites and foreign powers. For the committed Zionist, this is not a historical argument to be debated; it is blasphemy.
The cognitive dissonance is immediate and overwhelming. The cherished belief in Zionism as a purely benevolent liberation movement clashes violently with evidence of its cynical, realpolitik core. To resolve this, the believer must intensify their faith. They engage in belief perseverance and confirmation bias on a grand scale. They discount the source: “This is anti-Zionist propaganda.” They seek confirmation by focusing only on the moments of national triumph, while dismissing the stories of sacrifice and betrayal as tragic but necessary anomalies. They refuse to engage with the mental effort required to process a complex, multi-volume historical work, preferring the simple, heroic tales of official history.
Orwell’s words from April 1942 echo with haunting relevance: “We are all drowning in filth. When I talk to anyone or read the writings of anyone who has any axe to grind, I feel that intellectual honesty and balanced judgement have simply disappeared from the face of the earth. Everyone’s thought is forensic, everyone is simply putting a ‘case’ with deliberate suppression of his opponent’s point of view.”
This is the state of Israeli discourse today. It is a nation of people putting on a ‘case,’ utterly insensitive to any suffering except their own. The intellectual honesty required to confront the possibility that the nation’s foundational beliefs have led it into a catastrophic dead end has vanished, replaced by the paranoid, self-sealing logic of a cult. “All power,” Orwell lamented, “is in the hands of paranoiacs.”
The tragedy is that the evidence is there, just as the German announcement about Lidice was recorded on gramophone discs for all to hear. The critiques are published. The casualty numbers mount. The strategic goals remain elusive. But the palpable lies continue, and while they may not be fully believed, there is no strong revulsion.
There is only the grim, grinding machinery of a nation doubling down on its delusions, marching deeper into a darkness of its own making, while the ghost of a long-dead English writer whispers, “I told you so.”
Mordechai Sones performed research and military-political analysis in Washington, D.C. on the staff of former U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski and as Deputy Director of Federation for American Afghan Action.
In Israel, he studied Talmud, Halacha, and Chassidus before joining the army. He served in an IDF infantry unit in the Ramallah area where his experiences formed the basis of his Report on the Acquiescence of the Israel Government in Palestinian Authority First Strike Preparations in Judea and Samaria (2000). His research was confirmed and published by the Ariel Center for Policy Research and has been quoted by global intelligence companies such as Stratfor.
He covered COVID-19 extensively since its rollout in late 2019 as a reporter for Israel National News (Arutz Sheva), where he worked since 2016, and as News Anchor for Israel News Talk Radio. He lives in Samaria, and currently serves as News Director for Frontline News.
[Ed.: I wish that I could write like that...]
Jonathan Pollard & Rabbi David Bar-Hayim: Hostages Over Victory? [10:42]
July 23, 2025 Machon Shilo – Discussion between the head of Machon Shilo, Rabbi David Bar-Hayim & Jewish hero Jonathan Pollard
IDF Rules of Engagement and the Echoes of Molech: A Call to End Modern Human Sacrifice By Mordechai Sones
Stop sacrificing troops to moral myths and suicidal ethics
July 23, 2025
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operate under a doctrine rooted in a principle called “Purity of Arms” (Tohar HaNeshek), which, while intended as a noble replacement of Torah morality, has created a troubling inversion: standing open-fire orders often prioritize the lives of enemy civilians over those of Israeli soldiers.
Contents
The IDF’s Ethical Inversion: A Modern Sacrifice
Molech Worship in Jewish Sources: Origins and Condemnation
Elaborating the Horror of Molech
The Modern Molech: Societal Conditioning and Why Reform Is Urgent
This policy, embedded in the IDF’s rules of engagement (ROE), transforms mandatory military service into a modern form of human sacrifice, where young men and women risk their lives not for national security but to uphold an ideal exploited by adversaries.
As Israel faces ongoing threats and debates over conscription, this doctrine demands urgent reform to protect its soldiers. Rabbis have compared this doctrine to the ancient biblical practice of Molech worship, a form of child sacrifice condemned by the Torah as an abomination, whose origins and societal conditioning must be understood.
By examining these practices, we uncover the moral and spiritual dangers of sacrificing lives for misguided ideals, past and present, and underscore the urgency of reforming IDF doctrine before more soldiers are inducted.
The IDF’s Ethical Inversion: A Modern Sacrifice
The IDF’s ethical code, “The Spirit of the IDF,” emphasizes “Purity of Arms,” requiring soldiers to avoid harming non-combatants, even at significant personal risk. Philosopher Moshe Halbertal, a co-author of this code, has stated that soldiers are expected to endanger themselves to spare innocents, a principle that translates into restrictive ROE.
Soldiers must confirm targets as combatants before firing, often exposing themselves in high-threat environments like Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, where enemies exploit civilian areas. This contrasts with most militaries, which prioritize their own troops’ lives over enemy civilians. Israeli analysts argue that this inversion handicaps operations, as adversaries gain tactical advantages by blending into civilian populations.
Historical and recent operations illustrate the cost. During the 2014 Gaza conflict, testimonies from IDF veterans documented dilemmas under operational pressures, highlighting the challenges of ROE in urban combat.
In the Second Lebanon War (2006), ROE were criticized for contributing to losses, with some analyses pointing to the difficulties soldiers faced in engaging threats amid civilian areas. Philosophers Asa Kasher and Amos Yadlin, in a proposed counter-terrorism code, argued for prioritizing Israeli lives, noting that the current doctrine subordinates soldiers’ safety to enemy non-combatants in certain scenarios. This policy not only endangers lives but fuels societal tensions over conscription, as families question why their children must risk death for an ideal that enemies manipulate.
The parallel to human sacrifice emerges here: mandatory service under such rules compels soldiers to offer their lives on the altar of a synthetic ethical principle, much like ancient practices that demanded human offerings to appease deities. In ancient times, such sacrifices were often framed as joyous acts for the “greater good,” with society conditioned to celebrate rather than mourn the loss. Mourning rituals for sacrificed children might have blended grief with admiration for the parents’ devotion, redirecting sorrow into pride and resentment toward those who refused to participate. Such conditioning was vital to perpetuate the practice, masking tragedy with purpose.
Similarly, modern narratives around IDF casualties, like those reported in Gaza in July 2025, often frame deaths as heroic sacrifices—whether from combat or operational accidents—complete with posthumous honors, to maintain public support. This glorification echoes ancient manipulations, urging society to view loss as gain rather than a tragedy to prevent.
Molech Worship in Jewish Sources: Origins and Condemnation
Molech, referenced in the Torah, is associated with child sacrifice, a practice condemned as an abomination. Leviticus 18:21 forbids giving children to Molech, stating, “And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to pass through the fire to Molech, nor shalt thou profane the name of thy G-d: I am the L-rd.” Leviticus 20:2-5 prescribes death for violators. II Kings 23:10 describes King Josiah’s reforms to end Molech worship in the Valley of Hinnom (Tophet), where children were “passed through the fire.” Jeremiah 7:31 and Ezekiel 20:25-26 denounce these sacrifices, with Ezekiel suggesting G-d allowed such practices as a punishment for Israel’s idolatry, a view debated in rabbinic sources.
The origins of Molech worship, as understood in Jewish tradition, lie in Canaanite and Ammonite practices, adopted by some Israelites during periods of spiritual decline. I Kings 11:7 notes Solomon’s construction of a high place for Molech, linked to the Ammonite deity Milkom, reflecting syncretism with neighboring cults. The motive, as Micah 6:7 suggests—“Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”—was to appease divine wrath or secure blessings like fertility or prosperity during crises. Jewish sources view this as a foreign corruption, with Jeremiah 7:31 emphasizing that G-d neither commanded nor conceived of such acts.
Elaborating the Horror of Molech
Midrashic texts vividly depict Molech worship to underscore its depravity. The Midrash Tanchuma and Yalkut Shimoni describe Molech as an idol with a calf’s head and outstretched, heated hands, where children were placed to be burned. Priests beat drums to drown out the screams, preventing parents from relenting. The Yalkut, citing Midrash Yelammedenu, details seven chambers before the idol, with the innermost reserved for child sacrifices, deemed the “greatest offering.” This ritual was not merely physical but psychological, with priests manipulating parents by claiming that sparing children would doom them, as Maimonides notes in the Guide for the Perplexed.
The Midrash debates the nature of the act. While Tanchuma assumes the child died, Rashi’s commentary on Deuteronomy 18:10 suggests a symbolic “passing through fire” without death, a ritual of initiation. Nachmanides (Ramban), in his Leviticus 18:21 commentary, insists it involved actual burning, aligning with the biblical emphasis on killing.
These conflicting views reflect an attempt to grapple with the practice’s horror, with the majority condemning it as a literal sacrifice adopted from Phoenician and Carthaginian rites. The psychological manipulation described—turning parental grief into pride—mirrors how modern societies may glorify soldier deaths to sustain support for policies that demand such sacrifices.
By compelling soldiers to risk their lives for an ethical ideal that adversaries exploit, the state risks “sacrificing” its youth to a modern Molech—an abstract principle that promises security but delivers loss. Torah calls for clarity of purpose and prioritizing life over ideology, urging reform to protect soldiers. The societal tendency to glorify military deaths as heroic, rather than questioning the policies that lead to them, echoes the Torah’s warnings against false idols.
The Modern Molech: Societal Conditioning and Why Reform Is Urgent
The ancient Molech cult, as Jewish sources reveal, was driven by desperation and manipulation—parents offered children to secure divine favor, only to be betrayed by false promises. Mourning rituals for these sacrifices likely blended grief with celebration, with society praising parents’ devotion and shaming those who refused to participate, ensuring the practice’s continuity.
Today, the IDF’s doctrine mirrors this tragedy: soldiers are offered up to an ethical ideal that, while appearing noble, is exploited by enemies unbound by similar constraints. The societal impact is profound. Rising casualties, eroding trust in leadership, and debates over conscription reflect a nation questioning why its youth must bear such risks. Like ancient parents coerced by priests, families see their children sent into danger for a principle that does not deliver security. The shaming of haredim mirrors the resentment directed at non-participants in ancient times, using societal pressure to enforce compliance.
Reform is not merely strategic but moral. The IDF must revise its rules of engagement to prioritize soldier safety, adopting a balanced hierarchy that does not subordinate Israeli lives. A civilian-military review board should audit open-fire orders to align them with current threats. Most critically, Israel must pause conscription expansions until these changes are implemented, ensuring no more soldiers are sacrificed to an outdated and immoral doctrine.
The Torah’s condemnation of Molech resounds today: sacrificing lives to false ideals profanes the divine. The glorification of soldier deaths as heroic masks tragedy.
Every Israeli—parent, policymaker, citizen—must demand change now, before the next induction. To protect those who defend the nation is to honor the sanctity of life, a principle at the heart of Jewish tradition. The time to end this modern sacrifice is now.
[Ed.:
July 23, 2025 Pulse of Israel – Unelected elites are undermining the elected government’s will – and the people’s mandate – in the middle of a war.
It’s time for accountability. It’s time to win.
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Knesset approves resolution affirming Israel’s right to sovereignty in Judea and Samaria
The resolution stating that these territories are an inseparable part of the Jewish people’s historic, cultural, and spiritual homeland, passed with a majority of 71 Members of Knesset.
Jul 23, 2025, 5:15 PM (GMT+3) Israel National News – The Knesset plenum voted on Wednesday afternoon to approve a resolution affirming the State of Israel’s natural, historical, and legal right to all parts of the Land of Israel, with specific emphasis on Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.
The resolution passed with a majority of 71 Members of Knesset, with only the 13 votes of the Arab parties and the “Democrats” party led by Yair Golan against, while Blue and White and Yesh Atid parties were absent from the vote.
The resolution states that these territories are an inseparable part of the Jewish people’s historic, cultural, and spiritual homeland, and that cities such as Hebron, Shechem (Nablus), Shiloh, and Beit El reflect the historical continuity of Jewish existence in the Land of Israel.
The document further stresses that the events of October 7th proved that the establishment of a Palestinian state would pose an existential threat to Israel and undermine regional stability. The Knesset reiterated its position that the idea of a Palestinian state has been removed from the agenda.
Later, the Knesset called on the Israeli government to “work as soon as possible to apply Israeli sovereignty, law, jurisdiction, and administration in all areas and forms of Jewish settlement in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.
According to the resolution, this move will “strengthen the Jewish state and its security and will prevent any challenge to the Jewish people’s basic right to peace and security in its land.”
At its conclusion, the resolution called on friends of Israel around the world to “support the return of Zion and the vision of the prophets,” and to stand with the State of Israel for its right to apply full sovereignty on these territories.
The proposal was led by MKs Simcha Rothman, Oded Forer, Dan Illouz, and Limor Son Har-Melech.
Yisrael Ganz, Governor of the Binyamin Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council, stated: “I thank the ministers and Members of Knesset from both the coalition and the opposition who voted for this important proposal to advance Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. The approval of the proposal, by a large majority of Zionist MKs, once again proves the broad support of the people of Israel for Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. It is clear and undeniable evidence of the national will to realize our values and our right to our land. This vote is a significant milestone on the path toward advancing the strategic step that will fortify the security of the entire State of Israel. I now call on the Government of Israel: Turn this decision into reality on the ground. We are at a critical and historic juncture. We must not miss this opportunity. The Yesha Council will continue to work tirelessly until Israeli sovereignty is applied in Judea and Samaria.”
[Ed.: That’s nice, but will Supreme Court AG Gali Baharav Miara give us her permission for sovereignty? Her word actually has more clout in Israel than the Word of God!
July 23, 2025 Jewish Breaking News
A stunning allegation from within Iran claims that Israel successfully hacked Iran’s entire air defense system and caused more than 100 missile launchers to explode upon activation during last month’s conflict.
In a rare admission of major military failure, Iranian political analyst Saeed Leilaz told Eqtesad Online that “120 to 150 rocket launchers exploded the moment they were activated.” He further claimed that Israel infiltrated Iran’s entire air defense network, rendering it virtually useless.
“When someone says it’s between 120 and 150, that’s huge — but the real number could be significantly higher.”
The operation represents one of the most successful cyber-intelligence strikes in modern warfare, highlighting the depth of Israeli infiltration into Iranian military systems.
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[Ed.: It works something like this:
Druze update from Syria | Whats happening to Druze women from Al Suwayda [1:40:54] Mansur Ashkar
July 22, 2025
WHY IS THE TRUMP TEAM BACKING AN ISIS TERRORIST IN SYRIA? [47:10] by David Mark
July 22, 2025 Israel Unwired
The fighting that began between the Druze of Sweida in southwestern Syria and the Bedouins on July 13th quickly turned into a blood bath and attempted genocide by Syrian regime forces, which are essentially HTS terrorists with nicer uniforms.
As the violence raged and it was clear regime forces were engaged in genocidal behavior with reports of executions, rapes, and ethnic cleansing, Israel acted and began to take out Syrian regime tanks, convoys, and even Syria’s Military Headquarters in Damascus.
Despite ceasefires, Bedouin tribes along with regime forces disguised to fit alongside of them reassembled and made there way into Sweida and continued to rape and massacre Druze. Israel was forced to issue a redline and demanded the fighting stop within 48 hours or the IDF would enter. Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara (aka Jolani) ordered his forced to keep the Bedouin tribes away and the fighting has died down. Unfortunately more than 1,000 Druze were killed, including women and children. The Syrian regime has committed to staying out of Sweida and Israel has continued to airlift supplies to the Druze.
How did the Trump administration miss all the signs that Ahmed al Sharaa’s regime was determined to wipe out the Druze when so many experts in the region were warning that he and his group were really ISIS rebranded? The answer is - they didn’t miss anything.
From the beginning of Trump’s second term, there have been questions about his circle’s connection to Qatar. From Pam Bondi to Steve Witkoff, Qatar has quietly infiltrated the administration with money and influence. As has been reported Qatar’s strategy is stake influence in both administrations. Just as they did in Biden’s the Qatari’s are doing the same in Trump’s.
US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack has been bullish on his demand that Syria remain united under Ahmed al-Sharaa’s leadership. He has stood by and watched while al-Sharaa’s men butchered Allawites and Christians earlier this year. Barrack has pushed for the Kurdish SDF to hand in their weapons to al-Sharaa’s regime and has disregarded concerns by the Druze in Sweida. Despite the violence in Sweida Tom Barrack announced that he supports the lifting of the sanctions from Syria.
Tom Barrack has lambasted Israel for stepping in and stopping the Syrian regime’s massacre of the Druze while spreading regime disinformation that it was simply a local dispute between Bedouins and Druze. Interestingly, Tom Barrack, stated the following in an interview with AP, “Israel would rather see Syria fragmented, divided, and not a strong central state.” However, he added, “I think all the minority communities are smart enough to say, ‘We are better off together, concentrated.’”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan echoed these same talking points today issuing a stern warning to groups clashing in Syria: “If they move towards fragmentation and destabilization (of Syria), we will perceive this as a direct threat to our national security and intervene.”
So who is Tom Barrack working for?
Back when Tom Barrack was the head of Colony Investments he often worked along side Qatar Investment Authority (Qatar’s Sovereign Wealth Fund). Among Colony’s financial backers were the Qatari ruling family that pumped billions of dollars into the investment fund. Interestingly enough, it was Qatar that bought out Colony when Tom Barrack departed. Tom Barrack, like Steve Witkoff, is a very close friend of President Donald Trump.
The current policy in Syria and President Trump’s meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa is no accident. It is apart of a wider agenda being pushed by Qatar and Turkey. A united Syria acting as a Turkish and Qatari proxy expands the reach of the Muslim Brotherhood Caliphate. Tom Barrack has been instrumental in pushing this agenda within the Trump administration.
Under Tom Barrack’s influence President Trump has done the following:
- Met with Ahmed al-Shaara the current President of Syria and former ISIS member and Al-Nusra Front leader
- Lifted sanctions on Syria
- Removed al-Shaara’s group HTS from the list of designated foreign terror groups
- Insisted on Syrian territorial continuity.
If Israel had not stepped in and saved the Druze of Sweida they would have been massacred and instead of a thank you, Israel has received vilification by administration officials. Sweida maybe safe for now, but not forever - especially as long as Ahmed al-Sharaa’s regime is in power and supported by the US government. Real questions must be asked about Qatar’s influence and role within the US.
Ironically, instead of these questions being asked, Qatari propaganda spread by MAGA influencers like Tucker Carlson, Matt Gaetz, Candace Owens and others are implicating Israel as the ultimate puppeteers of American policy, when it is Qatar itself that steers the USA at the highest levels of office.
VIDEO PROOF: Taybeh Church Not Targeted by Arson — Investigations Reveal Fabricated Narrative Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
JULY 22, 2025 Israel 365 News
An international wave of condemnation and media outrage was triggered this month by reports that Jewish settlers set fire to an ancient church in the Christian Arab village of Taybeh in Samaria. But an investigation by The Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL), backed by video evidence and official police findings, reveals that these claims are not only misleading — they are demonstrably false.
On Monday night, the Israel Police released the results of their initial investigation, confirming that the Church of Saint George in Taybeh was never damaged. “Contrary to misleading reports, no damage was caused to the Church of Saint George in Taybeh,” the statement read. “The fire was limited to an adjacent open area, not the holy site.” Aerial imagery included in the police report substantiated this conclusion.
Emergency services, including one Palestinian caller and several Israeli ones, reported the fire, and the District Commander has opened a thorough investigation. “If arson is confirmed, justice will be pursued regardless of race or background,” police emphasized, adding: “Due process is based on facts, not headlines.”
Despite claims made by church leaders and Palestinian officials that the fire was the result of “radical Israeli arson,” video footage from the scene tells another story. Multiple videos reviewed by TPS-IL show Israeli youths from a nearby Jewish farm rushing toward the flames with fire extinguishing equipment, including reflective vests, shovels, and even a compressed air blower — a standard tool for fighting brush fires.
A young shepherd identified only as Y. told TPS-IL that while grazing sheep in a field near the church, a fire suddenly broke out and frightened the animals. He alerted the farm and attempted to put out the fire with his shirt before being assaulted by Palestinians emerging from the nearby cemetery.
Contrary to online rumors, no video shows settlers starting any fire — only attempting to extinguish it.
The fire near the Taybeh church was not an isolated incident. Between July 3 and July 11, at least four fires were reported in the same area. In each case, Jewish farmers and shepherds from the Rimmonim Farm filed police reports accusing local Arabs — including residents from Taybeh — of setting fires to disrupt grazing activity. According to testimony and documentation obtained by TPS-IL, the farmers’ pastures were repeatedly targeted with arson attacks.
Independent journalist Elisha Yered reported that the July 7 fire, which was later cited in international condemnations, was the second arson that week initiated by Taybeh residents. Yered noted that settlers fought to prevent the fire from spreading — even into Taybeh itself — and succeeded in extinguishing it before it reached homes or the church ruins.
“There was no act of Jewish nationalist crime, no church was set on fire, and no cemetery was desecrated,” Yered wrote. “Quite the opposite — Christian Arabs set fire to open fields four times in a single week to prevent Jews from grazing there.”
Despite the facts, the incident was rapidly politicized. Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and diplomats from over 20 countries visited the site, declaring the fire an act of hate by “radical Israelis.” U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham mistakenly told Fox News the church had been “burned to the ground” and pledged to demand answers from the Israeli government.
U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, who had earlier called the fire an “act of terror,” later walked back the implication that settlers were to blame. “I have NOT attributed the cause of fire to any person or group,” he tweeted, adding, “The press has.”
Try watching this video on www.youtube.com
According to Amit Barak, an expert on Christian affairs in Israel, the incident fits a troubling pattern of politicized misinformation involving church leadership. “In the past, people blamed ‘the Jew.’ Today, they blame ‘the settler,’” Barak told TPS-IL. He pointed to the Latin Patriarchate’s ties with anti-Israel groups like the World Council of Churches, which in June issued a statement labeling Israel an “apartheid state” and calling for international sanctions.
Barak warned that some church leaders have become “pawns” in an ideological war aimed at delegitimizing Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria. “They fall into the trap time and again. They don’t check facts — they echo narratives.”
Yesha Council chairman Israel Ganz echoed this concern: “We are being subjected to blood libels by Palestinian elements trying to create international conflict and delegitimize settlement in Judea and Samaria.”
Despite the outcry, TPS-IL confirmed that Taybeh’s municipal leadership has yet to file an official complaint with Israeli police. “The police have been investigating the incident for over a week without cooperation from the village,” Yered reported. “They claim to be certain that settlers set the fire, but they won’t even file a report.”
The claim that settlers torched an ancient Christian holy site in Samaria has captured headlines and sparked diplomatic outrage. But a careful investigation, supported by police data and firsthand documentation, reveals a starkly different reality: the church was never damaged, settlers tried to stop the fire, and the accusations appear to be based on politically motivated falsehoods.
Jonathan Pollard: SWORD OR SHIELD? Should Israel Intervene in Syria’s Genocide? [50:38]
July 21, 2025 Machon Shilo https://machonshilo.org– Discussion between the head of Machon Shilo, Rabbi David Bar-Hayim & Jewish hero Jonathan Pollard
The Druze/Christian massacre is FAR WORSE than they want you to know [Syria update] [42:00]
July 21,2025 JNS TV
Host Emily Schrader breaks down the escalating crisis in southern Syria, where the Druze minority faces a brutal massacre, a collapsing ceasefire and deafening silence from the international community. What is Israel’s responsibility toward its Druze allies across the border and why has the world once again turned its back on victims of jihadist terror?
Joining Emily are a powerhouse panel: co-host Shoshana Keats-Jaskel, co-founder of Chochmat Nashim; Daniel Ryan Spalding, comedian and activist; and Ruthie Blum, JNS Senior Contributing Editor and host of Israel Undiplomatic. Together, they uncover the harrowing footage and reports emerging from Syria and debate Israel’s moral and strategic calculus.
The discussion then shifts to Gaza, where a surprising new development sees local clans turning on Hamas and aligning with Israel. Could this mark a major turning point in the region? The panel debates the risks of replacing Hamas with equally dangerous factions, and whether Arab partners like the UAE or Morocco could help steer Gaza toward stability.
** This episode is dedicated in loving memory of Laura Ben-David.
Chapters
00:00 The Siege of the Druze: A Humanitarian Crisis
13:13 Gaza’s Internal Strife: Clans vs. Hamas
27:01 The Role of Israel: Allies and Dilemmas
The Druze/Christian massacre is FAR WORSE than they want you to know [Syria update] [42:00]
July 21,2025 JNS TV
Host Emily Schrader breaks down the escalating crisis in southern Syria, where the Druze minority faces a brutal massacre, a collapsing ceasefire and deafening silence from the international community. What is Israel’s responsibility toward its Druze allies across the border and why has the world once again turned its back on victims of jihadist terror?
Joining Emily are a powerhouse panel: co-host Shoshana Keats-Jaskel, co-founder of Chochmat Nashim; Daniel Ryan Spalding, comedian and activist; and Ruthie Blum, JNS Senior Contributing Editor and host of Israel Undiplomatic. Together, they uncover the harrowing footage and reports emerging from Syria and debate Israel’s moral and strategic calculus.
The discussion then shifts to Gaza, where a surprising new development sees local clans turning on Hamas and aligning with Israel. Could this mark a major turning point in the region? The panel debates the risks of replacing Hamas with equally dangerous factions, and whether Arab partners like the UAE or Morocco could help steer Gaza toward stability.
** This episode is dedicated in loving memory of Laura Ben-David.
Chapters
00:00 The Siege of the Druze: A Humanitarian Crisis
13:13 Gaza’s Internal Strife: Clans vs. Hamas
27:01 The Role of Israel: Allies and Dilemmas
INVADE ISRAEL? IDF POSTURE CHANGE, ON THE HIGH COURT SYSTEM, LEBANON ‘PEACE’
July 21, 2025 Israel Realtime
( VIDEO – Hamas, thanks for the aid! )
🇸🇾INVADE ISRAEL? A prisoner from one of the Syrian army units, held by the Druze forces in As-Suwayda, says in a video that they received orders from their commanders to disguise themselves as “Bedouin tribes” to reach As-Suwayda and murder Druze, to kill everyone, including children and women. The prisoner further stated that they are planning afterward to “continue to Tel Aviv to liberate Jerusalem from the entity.”
(( While the last statement is possibly real, it’s also possible that this was rhetoric they were told to inspire them, or instructed to be said by the interrogating Druze to draw more Israeli support. No way to know. ))
.. A security alert was issued for U.S. citizens in Syria yesterday, advising them to leave due to ongoing risks, and a level 4 do-not-travel to Syria warning.
▪️IDF POSTURE CHANGE – Chief of Staff Zamir has decided: Due to the heavy burden and load on the reserve forces – the scope of reserve forces in the combat sectors will be reduced by 30% in the coming months.
▪️NETANYAHU DERANGEMENT SYNDROME – Raviv Drucker, famous Israeli journalist and author: “Netanyahu deliberately ate spoiled food to avoid a cross-examination.”
▪️SOME NOTES ON THE ISRAELI HIGH COURT SYSTEM – (for those outside Israel) that makes it quite different from the US system or from the UK and British based systems:
A – Anyone may petition the High Court. There is no required lower court process, or appeals court – anyone may go DIRECT to the High Court at any time (as long as they are willing to pay the lawyer cost of a filing).
B – There is no concept of STANDING. Unlike the US system, you do not have to be involved or directly affected in a matter to take it to the court. For example, you could live in New York and raise a complaint about a road being built in Texas.
C – ANY MATTER, particularly any government matter, can be taken to court. For example, if the government is going to have a parade and you think the route is unfair, you could take the govt to the High Court over it, forcing the govt to attend and defend.
D – The REASONABLENESS DOCTRINE – Started by the court in about 1980, when the High Court reviews decisions by government bodies, local authorities, or other public entities: the High Court decides, per the arbitrary standards of the particular ruling judges, if a government or administrative action is ‘reasonable’ – if not the court overturns the decision. Because of the factors above (any matter, no standing requirement), it faces major criticism for vagueness and overreach.
E – In Israeli civil law, the general principle is that the losing party in a lawsuit is typically required to pay court costs, including the prevailing party’s legal fees, subject to the court’s discretion. It’s the “loser pays” rule, intended to discourage frivolous lawsuits.
E – In both civil or criminal cases, both the winner and loser may appeal. For example, the prosecution even when winning can appeal that the penalty was not harsh enough, and this is not unusual.
G – Libel laws are similar to the UK, presuming harm from libel, and do not exempt public figures, whereas the US makes it hard to prove libel and the bar of proof is much higher for public figures.
▪️EU FUNDING ANTI JUDICIAL REFORM AND ANTI POLICE MOVES? (Ch. 14) A grant of approximately 2 million shekels was awarded to the Zolat organization to draft position papers regarding police violence and influence legislation related to justice reform. https://www.c14.co.il/article/1275290 (Hebrew article)
♦️GAZA – DEIR Al-BALAH – (central Gaza, coastal side) Attacks in the belt-of-fire (row or circle of airstrikes) style.
.. Eliminated: The senior Hamas commander of Beit Hanoun, responsible for years of rocket fire towards Sderot and the Gaza envelope.
🇮🇷IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS – In Iran, it is reported that nuclear talks with several European countries will be held on Friday in Istanbul.
🇱🇧LEBANON AND HEZBOLLAH – The Lebanese Al-Mayadeen channel, close to Hezbollah, reports from its sources: Lebanon has completed its comments on the proposal of the U.S. envoy Tom Barrack for a permanent ceasefire and regarding Hezbollah’s weapons, and the Lebanese leadership will submit it tomorrow.
The comments include Lebanese opposition to setting any defined timetable for Hezbollah’s disarmament, and on the other hand, a demand to obligate Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanese territory and withdraw from the five points it holds inside Lebanon.
According to the report, Lebanon will demand guarantees that Israel will fulfill the requirements before any timetable related to disarming Hezbollah is set.
🎗️DEAL LEAKS – Senior American official to ‘Channel 12’: ”Israel is doing somersaults to reach an agreement. Hamas is not moving.
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Syrian Government Massacres Druze Minority – Israel Responds, Violence Continues
Who are the Druze?: 8 Facts by Dr. Yvette Alt Miller
Learn about the Druze faith, Druze history, the Israeli Druze community and more.
July 30, 2024
The Druze are a minority within Israel who thrive while practicing their own religion and living in close-knit communities in Israel’s north. Here are eight facts about the Druze community.
1. What is the Druze religion?
The Druze religion began 1100 years ago, in 11th century Egypt, among Shi’ite Muslims. A visiting missionary from Persia helped encourage the view that the caliph of Egypt at the time, al Hakim ibn Amr Allah, was the divine incarnation of God. Amidst an atmosphere of great religious tension, al Hakim disappeared in the year 1021, Druze believe that in one day he will return and usher in an era of global peace.
Much of the finer points of the Druze religion are secret, even to ordinary Druze people, and are maintained by religious leaders called “uqqal” (“knowers”). Aspects of the Druze religion that are widely known include monotheism, a belief in reincarnation, equality between men and women, and a host of prophets who span Christian, Muslim, and ancient Greek culture. Druze have a unique religious text called Al-Hikmah al-Sharifah, which is only read by the faith’s elders. Among Druze holy figures are Moses, Moses’ father in law Jethro, Plato, Socrates, Jesus, Mohammed, and Alexander the Great. The Druze religion doesn’t recognize conversion, either into the religion or out to another faith.
2. Druze People Live in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Elsewhere
Druze followers left Egypt and flourished further north, in what today are the nations of Lebanon, Syria and Israel. Under French rule, there was an attempt to establish an independent Druze state inside of present-day Lebanon, which failed. Today, estimates of the number of Druze people in the world today range from 800,000 to 2 million. The greatest number – over 600,000 – of Druze people today live in Syria. Smaller communities exist in Lebanon, Israel, and abroad, in Europe, Australia, and both North and South America.
Approximately 150,000 Druze live in Israel. For generations, many Druze faced persecution and discrimination at the hands of their neighboring Muslim communities and overlords. Though Druze people speak Arabic, they consider themselves a distinct, unique group.
3. Druze Fought on Israel’s Side in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence
During the British Mandate period, when Great Britain ruled present-day Israel (1923-1948), tensions between Jews and Arabs soared. A series of Arab pogroms against Jewish communities swept present-day Israel in 1929, resulting in the deaths of scores of Jews. During this time, Druze people generally sided with Jews. When Israel declared its independence and faced an onslaught from surrounding Arab armies, Druze people stood with Israel and fought on the Israeli side during its War of Independence.
“A long-standing friendship links the Druze and the Jews in Israel,” noted former Israeli President Chaim Herzog. “In our War of Independence, many Druze fought side by side with Jews to repel the Arab invasion.” (Quoted in Living History: The Memoirs of a Great Israeli Freedom-Fighter, Soldier, Diplomat and Statesman, by Chaim Herzog. Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London: 1997.)
4. Druze of Israel
Most Israeli Druze people live in the Carmel region of Israel’s north. There is also a flourishing Druze community in and around Haifa, and a smaller community of about 18,000 Druze people who live in the Golan Heights, which Israel gained from Syria in the 1967 “Six Day” War and which Israel annexed in 1981. Majdal Shams – where Hezbollah’s massacre of children took place – is a bustling town in the Golan Heights; the vast majority of its over 11,000 residents are Druze. (Unlike Druze people who live in the rest of Israel, Druze residents of the Golan have the choice of whether or not to accept Israeli citizenship; each year, scores of people do so.)
5. The Druze Flag
Visitors to Israel’s north might have noticed colorful rainbow flags flying in some towns and villages. This is the Druze flag, made up of red, green, yellow, blue and white. Sometimes flown in a stripe shape, it can also take the form of a colorful star. Each of the flag’s five colors is associated with a particular human trait, including the masculine, feminine, wisdom, etc.
6. Israel’s Druze Community is Flourishing
By many measures, the most successful and flourishing Druze community in the world is in Israel. Since Israel’s founding in 1948, the Israeli Druze population has increased over 1000%.
With the creation of the Israeli state in 1948 came an era of liberation for Israel’s Druze. As historian Howard M. Sachar has noted, in the early days of Israel’s poverty-stricken statehood, Israel encouraged Druze life by “granting the Druze the status of an official religious community, with their own religious council and courts” and “by supplying their villages with a generous measure of roads, water pipelines, and agricultural credit and guidance.” (Quoted in A History of Israel From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time by Howard M. Sachar. 2nd Edition. Alfred A. Knopf, New York: 2002.)
Israeli Druze people have strong family values: in one recent Israeli poll, 99% of Israeli Druze said they believe in God. Only 1% report having married outside their faith. 93% describe themselves as proud to be Druze.
7. Israeli Druze Serve in the Israel Defense Forces and Excel in Israeli Society
Druze men are required to complete Israeli army service. (In this, they are unique among Israel’s Arab population: Arab Christians and Arab Muslims are not required to serve, though they can volunteer if they wish.) In the army – and elsewhere in Israeli society – many Druze people reach the highest levels, out of all proportion to their small numbers. When they serve in the armed services, Druze soldiers serve disproportionately in elite army units, helping to foster a feeling of intense patriotism in their community. Druze Israelis also work as university professors, politicians, members of Israel’s Knesset, diplomats, judges, physicians, and in other prestigious fields.
Wherever Druze people live, they traditionally have felt a fierce attachment to their home nation. “Each community is completely patriotic and loyal to its country,” explained Aimen Amer, an Israeli Druze entrepreneur, Israel Defense Forces veteran, and co-founder of the HR tech company Skillinn. This is the secret of the incredible success of Israel’s Druze community, he feels.
8. A Major Druze Holiday Takes Place in Israel Each Spring.
Each April 25-28, thousands of Druze people flock to the Israeli city of Tiberius for the Druze festival of Ziyarat al-Nabi Shu’ayb, which honors Jethro, Moses’ father in law, whom Druze believe is buried just west of Tiberius. The three-day long festival is recognized as a holiday in Israel. Druze people don’t work during the pilgrimage, and Israeli leaders commonly extend holiday greetings to the Druze community during this time.
Dr. Yvette Alt Miller Dr. Yvette Alt Miller holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and has taught at Northwestern University, London Business School, and lectured around the world. She is the author of Angels at the Table: A Practical Guide to Celebrating Shabbat, which had been praised as “life changing” and compared to having a friend guide the reader through a typical Shabbat, and of Portraits of Valor: Heroic Jewish Women You Should Know, which describes the lives of 40 remarkable women who inhabited different eras and lands, giving readers a sense of the vast diversity of Jewish history and experience.
INSTABILITY! Druze In Syria Fight For Their Lives As Israeli Government Nears Collapse! [2:08:28] Yishai Fleisher
July 20, 2025
Yishai live analysis updates the crisis of the Druze in Syria, Israel’s fight for sovereignty in Gaza and in the Knesset. Special Guests Nadia Matar (Sovereignty Movement), Yonatan Marcus, Jeremy Saltan, Josh Waller (The Israel Guys) and Malkah Fleisher!!
July 20, 2025 @ 4:20 pm ET Jewish Breaking News
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Two Years Later, Russia Jails 135 for Hunting Israeli Passengers at Airport
July 20, 2025 JBN News – Justice has finally been served two years after Palestinian flag-waving mobs terrorized Israeli passengers at a Russian airport.
Hundreds of antisemitic protesters stormed Makhachkala airport in Russia’s predominantly Muslim Dagestan region on October 29, 2023, just as a plane from Tel Aviv landed. Video footage at the time shows mostly young men waving Palestinian flags, breaking down glass doors and running through the airport terminals shouting “Allahu Akbar” while hunting for Israeli and Jewish passengers.
Remarkably, no passengers from the flight were injured despite the violent chaos that unfolded. At the time, Ambassador Alexander Ben Zvi said around 30 Israeli nationals on board the plane spent the night at a VIP suite at the airport, before being taken by helicopter to another nearby airport to continue their journeys.
On Friday, Russian courts sentenced 135 people who participated in the attack to prison terms ranging from six and a half to 15 years. Investigators have not disclosed the names of those convicted, but have noted that three individuals have also been put on the country’s most wanted list for organizing the riots on a Telegram channel.
The region, located in Russia’s North Caucasus, has seen increased tensions since Hamas launched its October 7 massacre against Israel. Just a day before the airport riot, Muslims stormed a hotel in the Dagestani city of Khasavyurt attempting to harm “Jewish refugees” rumored to be staying there, according to Russia’s state-run RT.
In June 2024, more than 15 police officers and several civilians were killed when terrorists opened fire at a synagogue and Orthodox church in the coastal city of Derbent. Both buildings caught fire, with the synagogue—one of the last remaining in Dagestan—burning down completely.
Conservatives Break Ranks: Gaetz and Huckabee Address Settler Violence
🕑 July 20, 2025 – 3:59 PM (Israel time) Israel Realtime
💥 Expanded IDF Strikes and Ground Operations Across Gaza: The Israeli Air Force, in coordination with ground forces, continues its intensive operations in the Gaza Strip. Ground troops are actively operating in Jabaliya, targeting terrorist infrastructure. Hundreds of Hamas-linked sites have been dismantled, numerous weapons seized, and dozens of terrorists eliminated.
Combat engineering units uncovered and destroyed an underground tunnel network in Jabaliya stretching 2.7 kilometers and reaching depths of approximately 20 meters. In Beit Hanoun, the IAF struck underground terrorist sites, and IDF troops engaged and neutralized several terrorists during close encounters.
Throughout Gaza, IDF forces have dismantled dozens of additional infrastructure sites, located tunnel shafts, and directed precision aerial strikes. Over the past 24 hours alone, the Air Force struck approximately 75 terror targets, including terrorist operatives, compounds, and strategic infrastructure.
🎯 Targeted Elimination of Hamas Weapons Engineer: On July 10, Israeli forces eliminated Bashar Thabet, a senior Hamas commander responsible for weapons development within the group’s production headquarters. Thabet operated in Nuseirat and played a key role in rebuilding Hamas’ weapons stockpile.
🔹 Humvee Deal Strengthens Ground Mobility: Israel’s Defense Ministry has signed a NIS 500 million (approx. $150 million USD) deal with American manufacturer AM General to supply hundreds of light tactical vehicles for the IDF Ground Forces. The agreement includes support and maintenance, with the first dozen Humvees expected to arrive later this year. These vehicles will serve a variety of purposes, including troop transport, medical evacuation, logistics, and communication during ongoing operations.
⚕ Prime Minister Netanyahu Recovering After Illness: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is recovering at home after experiencing food poisoning overnight. He was examined by Prof. Alon Hershko, head of internal medicine at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, and diagnosed with intestinal inflammation caused by spoiled food.
Following further tests, his condition was assessed as stable, though he is
receiving intravenous fluids due to dehydration. Netanyahu will rest at home for the next three days, during which he will continue to manage state affairs remotely.
📌 Move to Dismiss Attorney General Advances: The Ministerial Committee has unanimously approved the recommendation to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The proposal now moves to the full government for a final decision.
⚠️ Iran Replaces Air Defenses Damaged by Israel: Iran’s military announced it has restored its air defense systems damaged during Israeli attacks in June. The replacements reportedly came from pre-stored domestic systems.
🔸 Iran and EU Powers to Resume Nuclear Negotiations: According to Iranian media outlet Tasnim, Iran has reached an agreement with the European Troika—France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—to resume discussions on the nuclear issue next week.
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The Paradox of the Jewish State: Machiavelli’s Shadow and Zionism’s Secular Betrayal By Mordechai Sones
Zionism was intended as a replacement theology—not for Christianity, but for Judaism
July 20, 2025
In the heart of the Middle East, where ancient prophecies trump modern geopolitics, the State of Israel stands as a beacon of contradiction. Founded in 1948 amid the ashes of the Holocaust and the fervor of nationalist dreams, Israel proclaims itself a Jewish and democratic state—a fusion of religious heritage and Enlightenment ideals.
Yet, as serious commentators increasingly question its Jewish essence, deny its democratic credentials, and even doubt its sovereignty, a deeper philosophical rift emerges. Drawing from the roots of modern statecraft in Niccolò Machiavelli’s vision, where the state is an artifact of human will unbound by divine mandate, Israel’s very existence as a “Jewish State” reveals itself as an inherent paradox. This is not merely academic musing; it carries profound consequences for Jewish identity, global alliances, and the future of a people long defined by their covenant with the divine.
Machiavelli, the Florentine thinker whose 16th-century treatise “The Prince” birthed the modern concept of the state, envisioned governance as a realm of pure human autonomy. For him, the state derives its laws not from eternal truths or sacred texts but from the pragmatic exercise of power—the will of rulers to maintain order, conquer foes, and secure loyalty through fear or love as circumstances demand. This secular blueprint, divorced from theological oversight, underpins the nation-states of Europe that rose in his wake. Laws become instruments of human ambition, mutable and strategic, rather than reflections of divine will.
To graft “Jewish” onto such a framework is to invite contradiction: Judaism, rooted in the Torah’s immutable commandments, posits a sovereignty that bows to the Creator, not man. A truly Jewish polity would derive its legitimacy from halacha—Jewish law—rather than the autonomous will Machiavelli champions. Israel’s Zionist founders, however, borrowed from gentile Europe’s territorial nationalism, crafting a state that mimics the very systems that historically oppressed Jews, thereby supplanting Judaism with a “normalized” national identity.
This Zionist project, spearheaded by figures like Theodor Herzl, was never about restoring biblical sovereignty but about assimilating Jews into the gentile mold of nationhood. Herzl’s vision in Der Judenstaat imagined a Jewish homeland as a secular republic, inspired by European models, where Jews could escape antisemitism by becoming “a nation like all others.”
This territorial nationalism, devoid of Torah-centric governance, aimed to redefine Jewishness itself: no longer a people bound by mitzvot and exile’s spiritual refinement, but citizens of a flag-waving state, complete with armies, borders, and parliaments. As such, Zionism was intended as a replacement theology—not for Christianity, but for Judaism. By prioritizing land and power over covenant, it promised to make Jews “normal,” shedding the exceptionalism that had sustained them through millennia of diaspora.
The result? A state where Jewish symbols adorn institutions that operate on Machiavellian principles of human will, rendering the “Jewish State” an oxymoron. Israel’s laws, shaped by Knesset debates and international pressures rather than rabbinic authority, embody this secular autonomy, alienating the very religious core they claim to protect.
The cracks in this facade are widening, as evidenced by Israel’s fraught relationship with its self-proclaimed identities. Calling Israel a Jewish and democratic state has grown increasingly problematic, with commentators dissecting its failures on all fronts.
On sovereignty, Israel’s independence is illusory, tethered to alliances that undermine its autonomy. Its reliance on U.S. military aid—billions annually—creates a web of dependencies that constrain decision-making, often at the cost of lives. Historical concessions, from the 1979 Sinai withdrawal to the 2005 Gaza disengagement, were made under American pressure, preserving the aid flow while eroding territorial integrity. This dynamic echoes Machiavelli’s counsel on alliances: useful for power, but risky when they dictate terms. Israel’s elite—defense contractors, ex-generals, lobbyists—benefit from this system, sustaining a patronage network that prioritizes foreign leverage over national will. Such dependencies beg the question: Is Israel truly a sovereign state, or merely a client in a larger geopolitical game?
Democracy, too, falters under scrutiny. Modern democracy, including Israel’s variant, often presents an “illusion of choice,” where voters are funneled into preordained outcomes like spectators in a magician’s act. Political action committees, media endorsements, and party machinations curate candidates, narrowing the spectrum to binary options that mask deeper control. In Israel, this manifests in a fragmented Knesset system, where coalition horse-trading overrides public will, fostering corruption and impunity.
The absence of a formal constitution exacerbates this, leaving governance adrift without safeguards for rights or identity. Critics argue that Israel’s democracy is performative, manipulating fear and hope—especially in times of crisis—to maintain the status quo. If democracy requires genuine autonomy of the electorate, Israel’s version, entangled in partisan theatrics and external influences, falls short, further distancing it from any claim to democratic purity.
Compounding these issues is Israel’s entanglement in a emerging global order of three totalitarian superstates: a Western NATO bloc, a Chinese sphere, and an Islamic alliance, each vying for dominance through undeclared wars and technological leverage. Israel sits precariously at this triad’s nexus, its geography and innovations making it a prized yet expendable asset.
The Abraham Accords, touted as peace breakthroughs under Trump, are a strategic ploy to forestall Israeli annexation of Judea and Samaria, paving the way for a binational entity subsumed into a Middle Eastern Union under Saudi oversight. This would dissolve Israel’s military and judicial independence, merging them with Palestinian counterparts in a supranational framework.
Even the October 7, 2023, massacre is not an intelligence lapse but as a manufactured crisis to harness Israeli resolve for external agendas, weaponizing patriotism to erode sovereignty. In Machiavelli’s terms, such manipulations exemplify the state’s reliance on deception and power plays, but in Israel’s case, they highlight how its Zionist foundation leaves it vulnerable to global managers who view it as a pawn, not a partner.
These critiques converge on a radical diagnosis: Israel’s current form is neither Jewish, democratic, nor fully state-like. Its Zionist origins, steeped in European nationalism, have supplanted the Torah with territorialism, diluting Jewish identity to a cultural footnote. To reclaim authenticity, some propose abolishing the Knesset—a body born without public ratification in 1949—and instituting a Jewish constitutional democracy.
This vision would restrict key branches to Jews versed in heritage and law, prioritizing halacha in adjudication and affirming the nation’s Jewish character. A bicameral legislature, a empowered president, and a rights-focused fourth branch would foster unity and dignity, excluding parties that negate Jewish primacy. Such a system acknowledges the Machiavellian state’s incompatibility with Judaism, urging a return to divine sovereignty over human will.
The consequences of recognizing this paradox are awesome and far-reaching. If the “Jewish State” is a contradiction, Zionism’s promise of normalization stands revealed as a spiritual abdication, prompting Jews to reconsider their allegiance to a secular edifice that “normalizes” them at the cost of their soul.
It could herald a messianic pivot, where Israel transforms from a gentile-inspired nation into a Torah-guided commonwealth, shedding dependencies and illusions for authentic self-rule. Globally, it challenges the Machiavellian legacy, questioning whether any state can endure without divine foundation. For Arab neighbors, it might open dialogues beyond nationalist zero-sums, rooted in justice rather than power.
But the path is fraught: ignoring this rift risks Israel’s erosion into irrelevance, a vassal in totalitarian tides. Yet, embracing it could fulfill the Zionist dream’s unintended prophecy—returning Jews not just to land, but to their covenant, making them exceptional once more. In an world of crumbling illusions, this reimagining might prove the ultimate act of will: choosing G-d over Machiavelli.
As debates intensify, from Jerusalem’s halls to Washington’s corridors, the question lingers: Can Israel survive as it is, or must it die to live anew?
The answer lies not in alliances or elections, but in reclaiming the autonomy that Judaism demands—one not of the human will alone, but aligned with the Eternal.
DEAL RUMORS, ANOTHER SELFIE BOAT, SOCIAL MANIPULATION BY NGO
July 29, 2025 @ 4:02 am ET Israel Realtime
( VIDEO – Sky News reporter videos jihadis stealing everything from Druze that they’ve murdered. )
⭕ROCKET ALERT in Nachal Oz, false alarm set off by a particularly large IDF explosion in north Gaza.
▪️DEF. MIN. IN THE U.S. – Defense Minister Israel Katz met in Washington with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
▪️HIGH COURT PETITIONED TO DECLARE PM INCAPACITATED – The High Court dismissed outright Daphne Holtz-Lechner’s petition, demanding for the umpteenth time, to declare Netanyahu incapacitated (due to his legal proceedings). The petition spans 80 pages and has already been decided repeatedly in the past yet not a single shekel was imposed on her as court costs.
▪️THE POSSIBLY FOREIGN FUNDED NGO “MOVEMENT FOR QUALITY GOVT” – launched this morning a widespread bus signage campaign in support of the Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, with the message “You will never walk alone”, as she is up for dismissal today/tomorrow.
▪️YET ANOTHER SELFIE BOAT FOR GAZA – the ship “Hendala” will depart today from southern Italy towards the Gaza Strip. Israel maintains an international legal blockage on Gaza waters.
🎗️DEAL RUMORS – President Trump declared that “10 more hostages will be released soon,” in Israel the messages are more cautious – but they say the progress is slow in a positive direction.
.. And the reverse report: A political figure involved in the negotiation talks: There are many difficulties. Israel wants to exhaust the negotiations – but Hamas’s refusal raises doubts about the organization’s willingness.
♦️LEBANON – ELIMINATION – The IDF attacked by aircraft and eliminated on Shabbat the terrorist Ahmed Muhammad Salah, head of the Yachmur complex in Hezbollah. Salah was involved in the attempt to rehabilitate the organization’s terror infrastructures.
🇸🇾SYRIAN DRUZE NEWS – Concern in Israel: The clashes in southern Syria may lead to an increase in the number of Arab tribes on the border with Israel (requiring a significant increase in border defense efforts), as well as affect the stability of the border with Jordan and pose a risk to the stability of the regime in Jordan.
.. Rumors of regime head Joulani fleeing are false, as pictures of him meeting with Saudi businessmen in Damascus were provided.
.. Syrian Interior Ministry: After efforts invested by the Interior Ministry to implement the ceasefire agreement and after Interior Ministry forces were deployed in the northern As-Suwayda governorate and its western part, all “tribal fighters” (jihadis) were evacuated from the city of As-Suwayda, and the clashes inside the city ceased.
.. Jihadi videos from overnight show significant firefights. However, this morning battle seem to have paused, with the jihadi forces outside the city.
.. Official source, ‘So far we have treated 1747 injured and evacuated hundreds of families from Sweida.’
.. Israel should pay particular attention to the speed and joy among many Arab tribes at the opportunity to head into a jihadi fight.
.. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: The acts of rape and massacre of innocent people that occurred and are still happening in southern Syria must end. (FIRST statement by an international diplomat on what is happening.)
🇮🇷IRAN SAYS – An Iranian diplomatic source: The US is preparing to attack Iran, we know this from intelligence.
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Port of Eilat to Shut Down Permanently After Houthi Attacks Cripple Operations
🚨 IDF STRIKES HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER; DRUZE IN SYRIA FACE MASSACRE THREAT AND REGIONAL TENSIONS ESCALATE
🕑 Jul 19, 2025 10:40 PM (IST) Israel Realtime
🎯 Earlier today, the IDF eliminated Ahmad Muhammad Salah, commander of Hezbollah’s Yohmor outpost in southern Lebanon. Salah had been working to rebuild Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure in the region. The IDF confirmed the operation and emphasized its commitment to neutralizing threats to Israel’s security.
⚠️ Tensions are mounting as Israel’s 48-hour ultimatum to Syria’s new Islamist regime nears expiration. The regime continues to stall, claiming it needs “a number of days” to restore calm. Israeli and Druze sources warn that this delay is a cover for the planned extermination of Syria’s Druze minority by Islamist forces.
🚑 In response to escalating violence and reported damage at Sweida Hospital, Israel’s Ministry of Health is preparing to transfer medical equipment and supplies to assist the wounded and support local medical teams on the ground.
🟥 Israeli officials are increasingly concerned about the advance of Bedouin tribes in southern Syria. Security experts fear this could trigger mass migration into Jordan, potentially destabilizing the Hashemite Kingdom and leading to an Islamist takeover. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned: “We don’t trust Jolani — groups attacking Druze today will target Israel tomorrow.”
⭕ Meanwhile, the Council of Jordanian Tribes and Clans issued a direct threat: “Any direct military intervention by the Zionist entity in Syrian territory—particularly in the south—will be met with immediate action from the sons of the Jordanian tribes.”
🟥 As a preemptive defense measure, the IDF has begun constructing a concrete security wall on the Golan Heights to counter the threat of cross-border infiltration from Syria.
🔷️ In Lebanon, prominent Druze leader Walid Jumblatt warned the international community that Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani is “two-faced and two-tongued,” accusing him of directing militias to commit atrocities while portraying himself as a mediator to the outside world.
🔸️ Hikmat al-Hijri, the spiritual leader of the Syrian Druze, urgently renewed his plea for international protection. “We initiated reconciliation, but the other side is not fulfilling its part in the ceasefire. The attacking militias continue to commit crimes against humanity. We call on the countries guaranteeing the ceasefire agreement to fulfill their duty and stop this murderous assault against the Druze in Suwayda. We call for direct international protection for the Druze in Suwayda.”
🇮🇱 In a show of solidarity, the spiritual leader of the Israeli Druze community shared a video message apparently addressed to Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to the message, Netanyahu assured him that the IDF is on its highest alert and monitoring the situation closely. The Prime Minister also extended condolences for the lives lost in Suwayda and emphasized Israel’s commitment to preventing further bloodshed.
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