GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 283

Attacks On Democracy

An Attack On Democracy

Borrowing a line from liberal political critics, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke publicly about the assassination attempt of President Donald Trump as we read in a post from X:

This wasn't just an attack on Donald Trump. This was an attack on a candidate for the presidency of the United States. This was an attack on America. It was an attack on democracy, it was an attack on all the democracies.

Netanyahu made parallels with the hateful rhetoric he’s facing in Israel in previous statements and his cabinet even addressed this issue using the Trump assassination attempt as a springboard for the issue in the meeting. We read in a report from CBN.com that the PM and his wife are praying for Trump:

In a message to Former President Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was shocked by the assassination attempt and sent prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery.

He cautioned the assassination attempt was much more than an assault on just one man…

As I reported yesterday in more detail, the topic of a possible attempt on Netanyahu’s life in Israel is a real possibility:

During Sunday's cabinet meeting, the ministers watched a video of people within Israel calling for the murder of public officials in general, and the prime minister in particular.

Noting that commentators in the U.S. pointed to previous expressions of violence against Trump before the shooting, Netanyahu explained that Israel is experiencing similar calls to incitement.

The PM added this as well:

He stated, "We are witnessing a flood of explicit threats of murder and violence against the prime minister and members of his family and against ministers and public officials. These are not just flagrant criminal offenses, they constitute a direct and explicit threat to democracy.”

Netanyahu are both facing political attacks and pressure and social media is indeed rife with inflammatory comments against both. It goes without saying that we need to keep both leaders in our prayers.

More Hostage Talks

Amidst the killing of Hamas leaders, the terrorist group is still trying to negotiate a ceasefire as we see in an article from i24news.tv:

An Israeli delegation is expected to resume negotiations for a hostage deal this week, a state source told i24NEWS on Monday. In addition, Israel has been in contact with mediators over the past few days and hours.

The source said it was yet unknown whether the delegation would travel to Doha, Qatar, or Cairo, Egypt, who have been the major regional mediators.

The PM believes his approach is working:

The source said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach, namely intense military pressure in the Gaza Strip combined with a strong stance in negotiations, promotes the two war objectives: the release of the captives and annihilation of Hamas. After the attempted assassination of senior Hamas officials on Saturday, there were elements who announced they were stopping the talks, but Hamas nevertheless announced that they are continuing. Therefore, Israeli authorities believe that targeted killings in practice exert much pressure on Hamas to continue negotiations, and also achieves the rest of the war goals.

Other Israelis also agree that keeping pressure on Hamas is the way to go:

Israeli officials believe that it is time to increase the military pressure, as this would allow more abductees to return alive at a cost that does not endanger the lives of citizens. They also noted that after the significant operation, in which Mohammed Deif was possibly killed, Hamas's actual response has been very weak so far, and has not reduced its willingness to continue talks.

As for the negotiations, the United States still has hope for a deal:

On this matter, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, "We believe that the remaining issues between Israel and Hamas regarding the ceasefire deal can be resolved. In addition, two senior Israelis told American officials that Israel is still committed to reaching a ceasefire."

What I do know is that Hamas needs a ceasefire in the worst way now. And I agree with Netanyahu that as long as they keep taking out their leadership they will keep wanting a hostage deal. One way or another Hamas is going to be taken out and I pray that the hostages are rescued as well.

A Strong Supporter For Israel

It seems like the US political situation is overlapping in my podcasts on the war in Israel and President Trump’s vice presidential pick appears to be a strong supporter of Israel as we discover in a report from The Jerusalem Post:

In a significant announcement during the 2024 Republican National Convention on Monday, J.D. Vance was named as Donald Trump's running mate for the upcoming presidential election. Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio, has been a staunch advocate for a strong US-Israel relationship and has addressed various issues concerning the Jewish community throughout his political career.

He assures us that he will advocate for Israel for a variety of reasons:

Vance has repeatedly emphasized the cultural and strategic importance of Israel to the United States. In a 2022 interview with The Jerusalem Post, he expressed his dedication to being a strong advocate for the US-Israel relationship, stating, “I will be as strong an advocate for the US-Israel relationship as anyone.” He highlighted the deep cultural ties and shared values between the two nations, describing the relationship as “an expression of deeper things, of cultural affinity and shared heritage and values."

Vance also gave other reasons he will be a friend of Israel:

During his visit to Israel in 2022, Vance toured the City of David, including the Pilgrims Path, and underscored the significance of Israeli control over Jerusalem. He noted, “Jerusalem is the most important cultural heritage site in the world. If Israel didn’t control this land, I would never understand this experience."

Vance has aligned himself with key conservative positions on Middle East policy. He has been a vocal critic of the Iran nuclear deal, calling it “a disaster,” and has supported the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem. He stated, “The Iran deal was a disaster, Israel is our most important ally and [former US president Donald] Trump was right to move the [embassy] to Jerusalem."

Vance also made sure to note the differences between supporting Israel and Ukraine:

At a 2024 Quincy Institute conference, Vance differentiated his opposition to US aid for Ukraine from his support for Israel, explaining, quoted by Jewish Insider “I’m supportive of Israel and their war against Hamas...It’s sort of weird that this town assumes that Israel and Ukraine are exactly the same. They’re not, of course, and I think it’s important to analyze them in separate buckets.”

He also says that supporting Israel helps the United States:

He emphasized the strategic benefits of the US-Israel relationship, particularly in missile defense technology, and criticized President Biden for delaying weapons transfers to Israel.

Vance noted the rise in hatred for Jews and wants America to a safe place for them again:

Vance has also addressed the rise in antisemitism in the United States, advocating for aggressive legal action to combat such crimes. He stated, “America remains one of the great places to live if you are Jewish. The question now is how to reverse the negative trend of the last years” and emphasized the importance of prosecuting antisemitic crimes to prevent further attacks: “If you beat up a Jew and don’t face consequences, the attacks will continue and get worse.”

Some may not like the pick, but comments like these should make both Christians and Jews happy with it.