23 November 2019

Indictable Offenses

26 Marcheshvan 5780
Shavua tov!

It's inescapable.  Politics!  It's consuming our world.  It would be so much easier to put our heads under the pillow and say "wake me when it's all over."  But, this is another battle in the War for Hearts and Minds, and each of us must do our part to fight the brainwashing that the World of Lies is perpetrating against humanity right now.


American-raised and educated Prime Minister of Israel Binyamin Netanyahu (70) and American-born businessman and TV star US President Donald Trump (73) are each facing their own legal issues with both supporters and detractors digging in on opposite sides of the scandals.

Words like "coup" and "witch hunt" and insults like "human garbage" are being thrown like so many rotten tomatoes at anyone who dares to substantiate the charges being brought.  Since indictments were handed down against Mr. Netanyahu, many in the public sphere have noted the similarities between his situation and that of Mr. Trump who is being investigated by a Congressional committee for possible articles of impeachment.

Mr. Netanyahu was recently lauded for serving longer than any other Prime Minister in Israel's history - thirteen years.  Last week, he made history again by being the first sitting Prime Minister to be indicted for crimes.

In the case of the US President, if he is impeached, it won't be the first time, as it has happened twice before, but it is such a rarity as to still be considered a historical event.  Mr. Trump is no stranger to making history.

His supporters would tell you that Mr. Trump made history when he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel; moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem; recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and most recently, determined that Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria are not illegal according to international law.  And then there is the "Deal-of-the-Century-in-waiting."

As mentioned several times by various US Officials, including Mr. Trump, he did nothing more than "recognize facts on the ground."  It's true.

An undivided Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel since the Six Days War in 1967 when it was reunified at the cost of much Jewish blood.  However, Mr. Trump's bold announcement never specified Jerusalem as Israel's "unified" or" undivided" capital.  It came with the clear caveat that "West" Jerusalem would always be Israel's capital.

What about the embassy move, you may ask.  Well, each country has only one embassy, and it is much larger than the various consulates because of the nature of its responsibilities.  In Israel, the embassy building in Tel Aviv which meets those requirements is still operational, although it is now being called an embassy field office.  The Jerusalem facility is too small to operate as a full-fledged embassy.  That's why there was so much talk in the immediate aftermath of the original announcement that it would be years before a proper embassy could be built and opened.  But Mr. Trump wanted the public show to boost his ratings so they hung a plaque and said they moved the embassy to Jerusalem.  I don't have to explain to you how simple it will be for the next president to "move" it back.

Furthermore, Israel declared its sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 1981; however, the US recognizing that "fact on the ground" doesn't change anything for us vis-a-vis Syria or the international community.  Ditto on "settlements."  As soon as Mr. Trump made his announcement, there was a quick backtrack from the administration that it should not be taken as a license to annex or extend sovereignty or even increase building in Judea, Samaria or the Jordan Valley.  And lest we forget, there are term limits in the US.  Trump's term will eventually end and whoever takes his place could reverse it all.  That's why we have to stand up for ourselves and not depend on anyone else to fight our battles for us.  We live and survive and serve our God at HIS pleasure not any president, king or dictator.

Curious.  Why is it that everything Mr. Trump has accomplished can be seen as a favor to Israel?  Is it to please his evangelical base?  I'm sure that's a large part of it.  Or is it to boost Bibi Netanyahu's ratings at home to ensure his place in power in the hopes that the grandest real estate deal of all will be his for the taking.  I'm talking, of course, about the Deal of the Century which Mr. Trump has already warned will have some parts that the Israelis won't like.

Where are Mr. Trump's accomplishments at home?  How far has the border wall been built over the past three years?  How much has the swamp in Washington, DC been drained over the past three years?  How many "deep-state bad actors" have been jailed over the past three years?  Why isn't Hillary in jail?!  How many major companies have returned their operations to US soil over the past three years?  How much has the Federal debt been reduced over the past three years?  These are all promises Mr. Trump made during his campaign for the presidency.

In answer to the first question: "...the administration has yet to finish a single mile of barrier on a previously unfenced part of the 2,000-mile southern border...." (Source)  In answer to the second and third questions, I can't find any results.  Fourth?  Hillary is still threatening to run for president in 2020!  In answer to the fifth question: companies leaving the US still outnumber the few who have returned - an overall loss. (Source)  And in answer to the final question: instead of being reduced, the national debt has actually increased by 2 trillion more dollars under Mr. Trump.. (Source)

Do you know who has benefited the most from the Trump presidency?  Would it surprise you to learn that it is Putin's Russia? I don't need anyone else to tell me this.  It's obvious.
Trump’s Gift to Putin: The President’s Privatized Foreign Policy Is a Boon for Russia

Russia reaps windfalls of Trump’s chaos: Moscow would readily agree that US president is the best in history

In Roman times, judges would ask: cui bono — who benefits? When asked of Donald Trump’s erratic foreign policy, the answer is troubling. The biggest winner of Mr Trump’s “America First” doctrine is Russia, not the US.

...It is hard to imagine a better public relations coup for Vladimir Putin than America’s whirlwind exit from northern Syria. Russian television cameras lingered over “emergency exit” signs and half-eaten meals in the evacuated US bases. The Kurds, America’s most loyal regional ally, quickly switched their fealty to Russia. Bashar al-Assad can now cement his control over Syria, while Turkey is moving closer to Russia (and nearer to quitting Nato). In chess terms, Mr Trump has just handed Mr Putin a bishop. The Kurds are mere pawns. 

Mr Trump’s impeachment battle is a political crisis in the US. It is an existential one for Ukraine. The latter is barely an after-thought in Washington DC but is at the forefront of Russian minds. A week after “Ukrainegate” erupted, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, conceded elections in the Donbass, the country’s eastern region, which is riddled with Russian proxy forces. Until now, the move was resisted by Ukraine since there could be no free elections without Russian withdrawal. The concession has tarnished Mr Zelensky’s young presidency and damaged Ukraine’s chances of thriving independently. Yet Mr Trump left Kiev with little choice. Ukraine borders Russia. It can only stand up with America’s help. In Russian eyes, Ukraine is a far bigger chess piece than Syria. 

...Taken as a whole, Mr Trump’s presidency has been a dramatic advance for Russia. In August, Mr Trump said Russia should be readmitted to the G7. Russia was kicked out in 2014 after it annexed Crimea.
(This does not even take into consideration the legitimacy given to such abhorrent tyrants as North Korea's Kim Jong Un and Turkey's Recep Erdogan, as well as offers to dialogue with Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei.)

The Mueller investigation outcome aside, these facts, taken together with the plethora of Russian connections during the campaign, as well as Mr. Trump's connections to the Russian mafia in the New York real estate world in the 80s and 90s, make me wonder what America has gotten herself into and whether she can ever extricate herself.  

My main concern, however, is that Bibi Netanyahu's obsession with remaining in power, when his own party has other worthy representatives who should be given a chance to serve, is somehow connected with unfinished business he has on behalf of the United States. Under Netanyahu's premiereship, Israel is turning into a Little America:  the gap between rich and poor has increased substantially, social programs have been cut to the bone, as well as funds for education and health care, while hi-tech, military hardware and other business interests thrive.  

Has he made promises to Mr. Trump, Mr. Kushner, Mr.Greenblatt, and Mr Friedman regarding a certain Peace Plan upon which hopes of a Nobel Peace Prize are hinged? Is it somehow connected to American involvement in our offshore natural gas fields?  How will this impact on Russia?  Is this the point at which their interests come into conflict?  All we really know for sure is that everyone is out for himself.  There is no national or world leader who places the interests of his constituency as paramount, regardless of party affiliation.

That's why it doesn't even matter whether these politicians offered or accepted bribes, because their real crimes are much, much worse.  In Bibi Netanyahu's case, he voted in favor of forcibly expelling 10,000 Jews from their homes and businesses, synagogues, schools and cemeteries of 40 years and handed them over to their mortal enemies who totally destroyed it all.  Then, they used that same land from which to launch literally thousands of missiles on the bordering communities for over 14 years with no end to it in sight. After 20 years in litigation and finally with Supreme Court approval, Bibi Netanyahu had the green light to dismantle and move illegally constructed Beduin camps, yet he refused to do it, while Jewish buildings, some still in the approval process, were bulldozed in the dead of night - on his orders.

Few people these days have very high expectations of their leaders or hold their politicians to a very high standard.  Many people think corruption is just part and parcel of politics (and business) in today's world.  Everybody does it, what's the big deal?  What's even worse, however, is how few people even think for themselves any more.  The proof of that is in the repetition of certain language - it's called parroting - parroting the party line.  If there is any hope for our future, it is in those who refuse the brainwashing, who refuse to follow the party line, who begin again to make demands upon their leaders - that they be honest and honorable people, that they clean up their language and their morals, that they recognize that they are in power to serve, not to be served.  

If we can't admit that everyone is guilty here and that everyone needs to repent of their part in the crimes, then Heaven might just indict us all.

15 comments:

  1. Both Netanyahu and Trump feel those who call them to account for their actions are being "disloyal." That's a word better suited to a subject's relationship to a king, not a citizen's relationship to a democratically elected president or prime minister. Citizens don't owe a politician anything but his salary. The real fault here lies in Israel's failure to impose term limits on its Prime Ministers. Netanyahu got too used to the power and then decided anything was necessary to maintain it. Since the public can only choose a party and not its leader, there has to be a way to give other people a chance to serve. This "loyalty" business and the idea that a long-serving politician is "owed" something is preventing new and younger blood from being brought in.
    Sa’ar to Netanayhu: You are not facing a coup; Likud and Israel need new leader

    ReplyDelete
  2. How could I forget, on parashat Chayei Sarah no less! Netanyahu is the one who signed away Hevron!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Agree. At the end of the day perhaps everything is all theater at peoples expense, that said the fact many so-called democracies whether in the West or in Israel are being openly revealed as corrupt secular Kritarchies overruling people pushing back against today's pressing issues brings us to a crossroads.

    You are correct on both Netanyahu and Trump, part of the reason people are supporting them despite the legal issues is due to the fact that however bad the current status quo situation sis they rightly fear the alternatives available (in the absence of anyone suitable), pinning for leaders who (at least exteriorly) fight against the entrenched establishment moving the overton window in an evermore degenerate / leftist accelerationist (e.g. the push to make our generation completely guilty without merit) direction and the fact people's votes can simply be overruled by corrupt courts, is implicitly signalling to everyone we have reached the point where things can no longer be resolved peacefully through the political process (assuming it was ever truly the case) throughout the developed world, but rather we face the prospect of simultaneously having to both pray and get our hands dirty (with those of us outside of Israel getting caught up with what is to follow regardless of our current circumstances precluding us from making Aliyah).

    ReplyDelete
  4. These are the winds of change. All over the world governments are being challenged and collapsing. As of now this is the list of ongoing protests against corrupt governments around the globe:

    Hong Kong
    Lebanon
    Spain
    Colombia
    Chile
    Bolivia

    People in Israel are afraid or too weakened to hit the streets in Israel. We've all seen the videos of Jews being dragged into police cars over the years, being stomped by horses, beaten by fists and clubs, tear-gassed and houses razed to the ground. The weak and infirmed, the sick and the disabled are all being shut up behind closed walls, drugged and stupefied so that they can never be heard by the world, but enough videos have surfaced to know that this is a growing problem. The health system has officially collapsed and everyone is talking about *politics*. It's as if there are 2 realities, the smokescreen that the media is feeding the world and the actual events transpiring in actual people's lives. There were engineered protests in the past by the left, but never has there been a protest of the people, by the people for the people of Israel against this farce called government. Israel is in a state of terrible disarray due to these *politicians'* horrible maneuvers. Wars, GMO's, making deals with enemies, throwing entire segments of the population under the bus and it's going downhill by the nano-second. Nothing can save it and the winds will only get stronger and there still will be no rain to cleanse the state of its own demise.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beautifully written and so true. You can add Iran to your list as well.

      Delete
    2. and more -
      Have no affiliation with this - it's just a commentary on the global protests - https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/11/leaderless-protests-around-world/602194/

      Delete
  5. Former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, in her testimony before the Congressional committee last week, said something really interesting. She said that the claim that Ukraine was behind the election meddling and not Russia was propaganda distributed by Russia itself. I believe it. And you know what else is of Russian origin? This narrative about Trump playing 3-D chess while everyone else is playing checkers; about how he is ten steps ahead of everyone else and is so much more intelligent than the average person that most people can't fathom his grand overall plan, etc., etc., etc., well, it is openly endorsed by Russian disinformation campaigners.

    ABOUT TRUMP

    Just follow it down to paragraph six and you’ll see who is pushing this fake narrative about Trump's "genius." You can see how destroying people's trust in everyone and everything was the real goal all along. Looking in from the outside, it is plain to see that as extreme as the left has become, the right has done so as well, but they don't seem to recognize that fact. And both of these two extremes are harmful and dangerous.

    All I can think is that, the real power of Rome/Edom (Vatican) is bringing everything to chaos so their New Order can be established, but HKB"H is letting them do the dirty work and will bring Mashiach instead.

    ReplyDelete
  6. First, excellent comments from both Jesterhed & Noise Blockers.
    Second, The chaos is orchestrated by the globalists (nwo) who are on both sides of the aisles, but we know the real evil comes from the left and that is precisely who they all are. We cannot really call it left or right; suggest they be called Nimrodians. People are now waking up and seeing it all unfold before their eyes and as Devash puts it, H' is allowing them to undo themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This post has been included in Nu? What's New in The Jewish Blog World? Check out the company you're with.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Although I'm not a big Trump fan, when comparing him with Obama / Hillary / Bernie and the so-called democrats I can't help but arriving to the conclusion that Trump is much less evil in every possible aspect. Same for Netanyahu x the leftists that are desperately trying to impose their minority government, not to talk about that Russian G-d hater that would do anything to explode the government - even if Israel must pay a heavy price to satisfy his bloated ego.
    Supposing everything that was stated about Netanyahu is true, I'd like to ask the political pundits here - is there any alternative leader that could help Israel survive this political storm and also face the external pressure from UN, arab countries etc.?
    Are there any honest, capable, strong leaders (who are also Torah lovers) that could face such situation?
    Obviously it's everything in the hands of HKB"H... let's wait and see what He has in store for us.
    Halevy from Petach Tikva.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeshayahu 63.5: "I looked, but there was no helper;* I was astonished that there was no supporter; so My arm wrought salvation for Me...."

      * Commentary: To save Israel from Edom.

      Delete
  9. Yasher Koach, Halevy from Petach Tikvah. Agree! Everything is going according to H's Plans which is leading us to the Geulah Shlemah!

    ReplyDelete
  10. From a different angle: whilst there are a few dozen royal families around the world, the epitome of royalty is of course QEII and the British royal family. Yet now it's very survival is in jeopardy, with the scandals rocking it. Since reading about it I have in my head the refrain, "veyitnu lecha keter melucha". The bracha we say on seeing a non-Jewish monarch is "shenatan mekvodo lebasar vedam". It seems to me that Hashem is taking back His honour from this line of basar vedam. QEII, aged 93, still commands widespread respect, but is now being called QE the Last, with increasing dissent against the rest of the pack.

    And just as Medinat Yisrael is in a political gridlock, so too the UK which has been in political chaos for the last three years and may very well have a hung parliament in the upcoming elections. Hashem is taking back the power that He has given to basar vedam in various forms. Be"D He will soon share His honour with Melech HaMashiach Tsidkeinu.

    (the language of the bracha for a non-Jewish king is "give" and for a Jewish king "share").

    ReplyDelete
  11. >> now being called QE the Last, with increasing dissent against the rest of the pack.

    Everybody likes William the son of Charles. If there is anything some people would want to do, it;s skip Prince Charles.

    ReplyDelete