A7News: Trump's Deal of the Century peace plan is a 'waste of time'

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Wednesday, Nov. 21 '18, י"ג בכסלו תשע"ט



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HEADLINES:
1. TRUMP'S DEAL OF THE CENTURY PEACE PLAN IS A 'WASTE OF TIME'
2. JERUSALEM MAYOR GREEN-LIGHTS US EMBASSY EXPANSION
3. 'ISRAEL CLOSER THAN EVER' TO GAZA OPERATION
4. 50% OF ISRAELIS DON'T WANT HAREDI NEIGHBORS
5. WATCH: GILO STABBING SUSPECT SURRENDERS
6. HAREDI PASSENGERS FILE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SUIT AGAINST EL AL
7. REPORT: ISRAEL TO WITHDRAW FROM UN MIGRATION AGREEMENT
8. WE ARE THE LUNATIC FRINGE


1. TRUMP'S DEAL OF THE CENTURY PEACE PLAN IS A 'WASTE OF TIME'
by David Rosenberg

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/255044

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) cast doubt on the prospects for a lasting peace with the upcoming White House Mideast peace plan, calling the much-anticipated plan a "waste of time".

Speaking at The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference Wednesday morning, Shaked expressed was pessimism regarding the chances for President Donald Trump's 'Deal of the Century' to secure a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

"I think that the gap between the Israelis and Palestinians is much too big to be bridged," said Shaked.

"Personally, I think [the Trump peace plan] is a waste of time. I want peace like anyone else, but right now it's a waste of time."

The White House, which is finalizing its Middle East peace plan, is reportedly scheduled to decide on its release date at a special meeting this week. No details of the plan have been released, though Trump administration envoys have suggested it will require major concessions from both sides.

Shaked also expressed pessimism regarding the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Hamas terror organization, signed last Tuesday following a massive wave of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on southern Israel.

"The ceasefire will hold for a few months - and then it will break. If the ceasefire won't continue, we won't have the option not to do anything. We will have to use more force against Hamas."

The Justice Minister claimed that Israeli deterrence has been in decline for years, emboldening the Gaza-based terror group.

"Over the past two years, Israel has lost some of its deterrence, and Hamas has grown stronger."

"If we look at the results, over the past two years Hamas definitely," grew bolder, "and we lost deterrence."

Turning to the ongoing coalition crisis in the Likud-led government, Shaked stood by her party's demand that party chief Naftali Bennett be tapped as Defense Minister following former minister Avigdor Liberman's resignation.

After a political standoff with Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier this week, however, the Jewish Home walked back threats it would topple the government. Netanyahu assumed the position of Defense Minister in place of Liberman, whose five-member Yisrael Beytenu party dropped out of the coalition last week, leaving the government with a bare-minimum majority of 61 MKs in the 120-member Knesset.

"I think the right decision was to nominate Naftali Bennett to be Minister of Defense," the Justice Minister said.

"We have many challenges. The job of prime minister is perhaps the toughest job in the world, and I think he needs a full-time defense minister [to assist]."

"Sometimes in political life you win, sometimes you lose."

While the Jewish Home remained in the Netanyahu government, averting its immediate collapse and snap elections, Shaked said it was unclear how long the narrow coalition could survive.

"I don't know [if government will hold together]. It will be very hard to hold the coalition together with 61 [MKs]."


2. JERUSALEM MAYOR GREEN-LIGHTS US EMBASSY EXPANSION
by David Rosenberg

The Mayor of Jerusalem signed an order permitting the new US embassy in Jerusalem to expand its facilities, allowing the US mission in Israel to transfer more of its operations from Tel Aviv to the Israeli capital city.

On Wednesday, Mayor Nir Barkat gave approval to plans submitted by the US embassy for a massive expansion of the former US consulate building.

In May, the US mission in Israel officially transferred its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in keeping with President Donald Trump's December 6th declaration.

The embassy was transferred to an American consulate building in the Arnona neighborhood of the Israeli capital, though most of the embassy's staff remained at the much larger Tel Aviv complex, which was downgraded to the status of consulate facility.

Now, the US embassy is planning to expand, with the aim of bringing more staff members and embassy operations to the Arnona complex.

The building plans approved Wednesday include new office totaling some 8080 square feet, with half of the new space to be underground.

The plans also include alterations to the entrances to the facility, which will be necessary to service the larger number of employees housed at the site.


3. 'ISRAEL CLOSER THAN EVER' TO GAZA OPERATION
by Mordechai Sones

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/255046

Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan says today Israel is "closer than ever" to a Gaza military incursion.

‎Speaking at The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference this morning, Erdan claimed the government is willing and able to enter Gaza "if that is the only way we can guarantee long-term quiet and security for our citizens."

"Now friends, just as we're moving from defense to offense in the fight against BDS, we must move from defense to offense in the fight against Hamas in Gaza," Erdan said.

"Moving from defense to offense against Hamas means targeted killings of the terrorist leaders of Hamas' military wing. And it means being willing to capture and hold the Gaza Strip, until we dismantle the terrorist infrastructure.

"Today we're closer than ever since the disastrous Disengagement plan to being forced to recapture parts or all of the Gaza Strip.

"If that is the only way we can guarantee long-term quiet and security for our citizens, then that is what we will do.

"We won't allow anyone to deter us - not Iran that seeks to destabilize our northern border, not the UN that condemns us for defending ourselves, and not the BDS campaign that seeks to undermine our national security and weaken our resolve.

"Friends, I look forward to the day when your job really will be boring. When we'll all enjoy a stable and quiet Middle East, and viable and lasting peace in the region.

"The way to reach that goal is by abandoning counter-productive polices in the international arena, by utterly rejecting the BDS campaign, and by working together to combat terror in all its forms," concluded Erdan.


4. 50% OF ISRAELIS DON'T WANT HAREDI NEIGHBORS
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Half of all non-haredi Jews in Israel would want to avoid living near haredi neighbors, according to a poll on tolerance and coexistence in Israel.

The Shiluv -i2r Research Institute conducted a survey on behalf of Kan, The Israel Broadcasting Corporation, for a Youtube UPLOAD Network Series video.

UPLOAD is a new network will consist of four episodes on Youtube that is directed by Barak Heiman.

Respondents were asked to what extent they would avoid living near people from different backgrounds than them.

Roughly half of the respondents questioned in the survey said they would not want to have haredi neighbors. A quarter of that group said it would be "very disturbing" for them to live near haredi neighbors.

Residents of northern Israel were most likely to say they would be 'very disturbed' by having haredi neighbors, with 29% saying such a situation would be very problematic for them.

By way of comparison, 81% of respondents said that they would be reluctant to live near a convicted felon who had been released from prison. Thirty-seven percent of the same group said they would be "very disturbed" to do so.

The poll surveyed 500 non-haredi Israeli Jews ages 18 and up.


5. WATCH: GILO STABBING SUSPECT SURRENDERS
by Mordechai Sones

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/255015

Border police units this evening arrested the suspect in today's stabbing attack near Har Gilo, Jerusalem.

The suspect was arrested after giving himself up while units searched for him.

A 30-year-old man was lightly injured in this afternoon's stabbing incident, and police and IDF sought to determine whether the attack was politically or criminally motivated.

The stabber fled the scene as MDA teams gave initial treatment to the victim. They evacuated him to Shaare Zedek Medical Center where he is being treated for internal injury.

Following the stabbing incident at the entrance to Beit Jala near Mount Gilo in Jerusalem, Israel Police concluded the attack was motivated by "a nationalistic background". Religious motivation for murder attacks is subsumed within the political category and is generally downplayed in government and media.

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/255015


6. HAREDI PASSENGERS FILE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SUIT AGAINST EL AL
by David Rosenberg

Orthodox Jewish passengers on this weekend's now infamous El Al 'Shabbat Flight' are suing Israel's national airline for nearly $2.5 million, along with a demand that the airline publicly admit that claims of passenger violence were false.

According to a report by Israel Hayom on Tuesday, some 180 passengers from the El Al flight have joined a lawsuit, demanding a refund for their tickets and 50,000 shekels ($13,515) each in damages.

Passengers have also demanded that El Al release a public statement admitting that there was no violence on the part of passengers during the flight, contrary to claims which went viral on social media over the weekend.

Last Thursday, hundreds of passengers waited at New York City's JFK airport for El Al Flight LY002, a direct service flight from New York to Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport.

The flight had been scheduled to depart at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, but was delayed after several crew members were late in arriving at the airport – reportedly due to snow storms.

The plane was ultimately boarded, according to a witness, at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, and by 9:10 the plane's doors were closed.

As the hours passed, however, passengers became anxious, asking staff members when the flight would depart, and if it would arrive before the start of the Jewish Sabbath in Israel.

El Al claimed that a number of haredi passengers became violent at this point and attempting to force their way off the plane.

When the plane finally departed, more than five hours after the scheduled departure time, the pilot assured passengers the flight would arrive in Israel before the Sabbath.

During the flight, however, the captain informed passengers that the plane would be stopping in Athens to drop off any passengers who wished to ensure that they did not violate the Sabbath, while secular passengers would continue on to Israel, arriving after the beginning of the Jewish holy day.

Initial reports after the plane landed claimed that religious passengers had "rioted" on the flight after it became clear the plane would not arrive in Israel before the beginning of the Sabbath. News of the alleged violence by religious passengers went viral on social media outlets.

But passengers denied the claims, saying that at no time did any of the roughly 180 religious passengers on board the flight ever use violence or attack the flight crew, and pushed back against allegations haredi passengers had attempted to break into the cockpit.

"There was no attempt to break into the cockpit, there were no physical altercations. Yes, there were some raised voices, but most of the time (I have the videos showing that) it was secular Israeli passengers who came to yell at the passengers who were concerned about Shabbos that we were ruining their weekend," passenger Benjamin Chafetz told Arutz Sheva.

Former MK and Arutz Sheva chairman Yaakov Katz also dismissed the claims of passenger violence as "lies", and accused the flight crew of deceiving passengers.

"The captain lied the entire way and said untrue things. He said that we were soon leaving, that we would land before Shabbat, he said that he was returning to the gate but instead of returning to the gate he went and took off," Katz told Arutz Sheva.

Israel Hayom writer Yehuda Shlezinger also denied claims that haredi passengers had attacked the flight crew, and chastised El Al's handling of the incident.

"I was on the flight which has been dubbed the 'Shabbat Flight'. After Shabbat, I saw what had been written [about the flight] in the news about haredim who [allegedly] 'threatened to break into the cockpit' and 'beat flight attendants' and I got exasperated," said Shlezinger.

"Tons of poison and fake news."

"There was a journalist on the flight, and what I filmed there was completely different than the mess which went viral. What did I see? I saw passengers who were lied to, and who remained silent. I saw passengers who were stuck on a plane and who started singing. I saw flight attendants who decided to punish the passengers and to refuse to provide service, and even one violent flight attendant who snatched my camera out of my hands."

"Was there violence on the part of the haredi [passengers]? If it did happen, I'd love to see footage of it."

"Here are the facts: The flight attendants go to the plane several hours late, and after we were seated, the lies began. 'We're about to leave', 'We're thawing out the ice then going.' It was only after the pilot reassured us that 'We'll get [to Israel] an hour before Shabbat' that people relaxed."

"But then, two hours before the landing, they announced a new plan: The religious passengers will be dropped off in Athens, and the secular passengers will continue on to Israel. At this point, everyone was upset, haredim and seculars alike. It was a bald-faced lie."


7. REPORT: ISRAEL TO WITHDRAW FROM UN MIGRATION AGREEMENT
by Gary Willig

Following messages from the United States, Hungary, and Austria, Israel is expected to withdraw from the UN's Global Compact for Migration after actively participating in its consolidation, Channel 10 News reporter Barak David reported.

According to the report, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely at the Likud faction meeting today: "We are coordinating with the Americans on the subject of the UN International Migration Agreement. We are considering the issue. In principle, we are not in favor of the agreement, and is what will happen."

The Global Compact on Migration is not a binding agreement, but rather calls for increased cooperation between countries around the world on legal and illegal immigration and sets guidelines for immigration. The agreement stresses that the problem of immigration is a global issue and should therefore be addressed at a global level.

A number of countries reject the agreement as an infringement on their sovereignty and ability to form their own policy on immigration.

Israel has taken an active part in formulating the agreement and Israeli diplomats have participated in all the preparatory meetings of the agreement over the past two years. Professionals at the Foreign Ministry took part in formulating the agreement while the political echelon, including the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Netanyahu was not involved at all.

In July, during his visit to Israel, Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban asked Netanyahu that Israel withdraw from the UN's immigration agreement. Hungary is one of Israel's most prominent allies in Europe today, and Netanyahu and Oraban have a close relationship.

Netanyahu was unfamiliar with the subject at the time and only began receiving updates about the agreement after his meeting with Orban.

In September, US President Donald Trump announced in his address to the UN General Assembly that the US was opposed to the Global Compact on Migration and would not participate in the agreement.

A few days after Trump's speech, Netanyahu met in New York with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz, whose government also opposes international interference in nations' immigration policy. Kurtz also asked Netanyahu to withdraw from the international immigration agreement.

Following Trump's speech, the Prime Minister's Office instructed the Foreign Ministry to turn to the American administration and clarify its position on Israel's participation in the agreement. Senior Israeli officials noted that Israel had approached the Trump government on several channels and the message it received was that the United States would be happy if Israel were not part of the international migration agreement.

In recent weeks several other Eastern European countries considered to be Israel's allies have announced their intention not to ratify the agreement, including the Czech Republic, Romania, and Bulgaria. The Australian government also announced its intention to withdraw from the agreement

In light of the American position, the Israeli government decided not to ratify the agreement during an international conference will be held in Marrakesh, Morocco.


8. WE ARE THE LUNATIC FRINGE
by Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld

Growing up we learn a certain lesson from our Sages that we take with a bit of skepticism but later come to life.

For instance, we are taught that the people of Sodom delighted in the most horrific atrocities committed against strangers in town. Hard to imagine. Then we saw just that take place with ISIS who inflicted unimaginable torture to their own brethren who were not exactly like them. They marched hoisting their banner of death through the Middle East as they killed with impunity.

One of those teachings is in the second verse in the Torah portion of Beshalach (Exodus 13:18). The Torah uses the term vachamushim to describe the fact that the Israelites left Egypt armed, not without physical protection. Rashi in his second explanation of the term refers to the Medrash that understands chamushim based on the root chomesh, a fifth. Only one-fifth of the Jews left Egypt. The rest chose to stay in Egypt being assimilated to its culture, but were sadly consumed with their host Egyptians in the plague of darkness.

I remember when I first came upon this Rashi, I was stunned. One-fifth! Only one-fifth left Egypt while four-fifths of our ancestors chose to remain with the Egyptians who enslaved them?! Makes no sense. How could this be?

We find as well (Sanhedrin 102b) that Rav Ashi could not understand how the Israelite King Menashe could be guilty of the worst forms of idol worship, which is the ultimate anathema for a Jew. Then Menashe appeared to Rav Ashi in a dream and told him, "had you been living during my time you would have picked up your cloak to run faster towards the idols". Such was the draw to this self-destructive practice. Like a moth to a bright bulb. So hard for us to imagine.

Yet this is what is happening to us today. Most of the Jews have chosen Liberalism as their new culture, their new religion. Even at the point of being self-destructive. Gone are the tenets of the Bible. In are the codes of universal brotherhood and fraternity. Gone is the care for Israel. In is care for immigrants. All immigrants - even our enemies.

Gone is any appreciation for clearly the best president Israel and the Jews have ever known. More important to these Jews is his position on illegal immigration. On abortion. On women's rights. On health care. On Muslims. On the LGBT agenda. His manner of speech.

It's one thing to differ strongly with the President. But why the vitriol? Why the deep-seated hatred of a man who changed the whole way administrations before him were treating Israel and made it very clear he will stand tall with our beloved and beleaguered Jewish State. All presidents going back to Reagan promised they would move the American Embassy to Jerusalem. President Trump actually did it. What does he get for it from the Jewish Left? Aggravation.

Trump took on the UN, appointed Ambassador Nikki Haley, appointed Orthodox Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, as he did Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, a great friend of Israel. Trump has refused to allow the murderous PA to go on unchallenged. He extradited a Nazi War criminal right here in Queens. He freed Rubashkin, etc., etc. All this means nothing??

For crying out loud, you are Jews! Think like one. Feel like one. Yes, I know our attitude towards the less-fortunate defines us as a compassionate People. But what about compassion for our own? There is a reason why in Israel Trump enjoys an 88% approval rate. They know what he's done for them. But here we spit at him.

Then things came to a culmination. Eleven Jews were killed by a Jew-hater born to a Jew-hater while at synagogue in Pittsburgh. The President was forceful in his promise to eradicate anti-Semitism. He and his wife showed up to the funerals with a real sense of sympathy and empathy. Yet, what greets him? "President Trump, you are not welcome to Pittsburgh!" As though anti-Semitism started with Donald Trump.

Does anybody recall the shooting of four people in an Overland Park, Kansas Jewish center during the Obama Administration? Did anybody link it to his anti-Israel, anti-Netanyahu, anti-settler, and pro-Palestinian stance that maybe drummed up hatred for Jews? No one blamed him, and no one should have blamed him. Hatred of Jews is as old as mankind.

So the President who stuck it to Israel and the Jews time and time again is adored by them. The one who heaps love and concern for the Jews is scorned by them. Lunacy.

It reached a point when a major Orthodox organization had the decency to publicly thank the President for his care and support during the Pittsburgh tragedy at the end of their press release.

They got hammered! Led by Shmully Yankelewitz of the Open Orthodox movement, dozens, maybe hundreds of Jews signed on to excoriate the organization for the audacity of expressing long overdue gratitude. I hope Rabbi Avi Weiss, the once-ardent Zionist is proud of what he's created. Ostensibly, the reason for their objection was that now was not the time to express thanks to Mr. Trump. Now is the time to express grief only. Of course, they had no problem muddying the waters just after the tragedy with their unrelenting campaign of hate against the President.

But I would like to ask. If this took place during the Obama presidency and the organization would have thanked him for his "compassion", would the same petitioners sign on? Would they object to the "poor timing"? You know the answer as well as I.

Well, surveys are showing that fully 75% of Jews do not consider Israel or Jewish issues on the top of their priority list when it comes to decision-making for their vote. That coincides with their insipid teaching of our Jewish religion. Which means that Satmar cares about Israel and fellow Jews a lot more than most Jews. How ironic!

So I wonder. Are they crazy or are we? Maybe I represent the lunatic fringe that thinks like only 25% of our people.

Sadly, I have seen that some Orthodox rabbis here and near here have joined the bash-Trump-at-all-cost campaign. Israel and Jewish issues have been traded in for some feel-good passions of the moment. Most rabbinic and lay organizations have been silent on the topic. That hurts. Big time. Because we need the rabbis to lead the way in keeping to the time-honored Jewish tradition of showing appreciation to the malchus, the reigning administration. This is true of a non-friendly ruler. How much more so to the most benevolent one to Jews in American history? And I have it on good authority that Mr. Trump and his family are totally miffed by the Jewish reaction and the silence of the Orthodox whom he thought of as friends.

Recently, someone showed me a posted question: How many liberals does it take to screw in a light-bulb? Answer: None. They'd rather sit in the dark and blame Trump. No joke.

This whole situation is a tragic turn of events. Jews have declared war on themselves and being pro-Israel no longer matters to gain Jewish votes. The Democrats have figured that out already. We as lay- and rabbinic leaders must be outspoken on this issue. We cannot be timid. The future of Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael is quite literally in the balance. This isn't politics as usual my friends. It's survival.

Yes, it looks like we 25-percenters are the fringe lunatics. But this is one situation where the lunatics must take back the asylum.





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