David Friedman, former US Ambassador to Israel, sums up the past six months: ‘Israel has the will and strength to eliminate Hamas and release the hostages. Right now, America is holding Israel back.’
David Friedman Arutz Sheva
Quick summary (and it is just a summary) of the past 6 months:
1) On October 7, Israel was brutally and barbarically attacked by Hamas, a Foreign Terrorist Organization under U.S. law. On that day, 1200 Israelis were murdered and 254 were kidnapped. Children were burned and women were raped. Adjusting for population size, this would be the numerical equivalent of 42,000 Americans killed and more than 8000 held hostage (God Forbid).
2) Even before Israel responded to the attack, much of the world, including the progressive left in America, justified the Hamas invasion.
3) The Biden Administration initially sided with Israel and warned Iran and Hezbollah not to enter the war.
4) Israel responded to the attack as any nation would. To date Israel has eliminated most of the Hamas battalions although there remain at least 3 (of 24) in operation, two in Rafah.
5) Gaza civilians have died in this war, but fewer in relation to the Hamas terrorists killed than in any other analogous war in which such statistics are kept.
6) As in any war, mistakes have been made including deaths by friendly fire.
7) Israel has not targeted civilians nor impeded humanitarian aid. More aid trucks have entered the Gaza Strip per day than before the war. As is typical of Hamas, it hoards supplies for its troops and causes mass suffering to its civilians.
8) Nonetheless, the social media onslaught against Israel has been intense and unrelenting. Lies upon lies about Israel’s handling of the war have been advanced and accepted by what was once considered reliable media.
9) Progressive and Arab population centers have engaged in vicious blood libels against Israel, especially in the United States. Universities have become unliveable for pro-Israel students.
10) Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels. The US administration has done nothing to combat antisemitism on campus or in the streets.
11) President Biden and his administration, along with Democrat leaders, have surrendered to political pressure from the left and have turned on Israel, demanding a ceasefire unconnected to the release of all hostages and advocating that support for Israel be conditioned on Israel softening its defense against Hamas. The US supported a UN resolution that called for a ceasefire without condemning Hamas. Hamas leadership celebrated this diplomatic victory.
12) Not surprisingly, the US position has caused Hamas to harden its demands in negotiations for the release of hostages.
13) Notwithstanding Biden’s warning to Iran and Hezbollah, Israel has faced daily attacks from within Lebanon and Syria since the war began. Some 60,000 Israelis have been evacuated from their homes in the North and there is no clarity as to when they may return home.
14) Six months into the war, Hamas has not yet been fully defeated. Hezbollah and Iran continue to attack and 134 hostages remain in captivity.
15) Israel has the will and the strength to eliminate Hamas’ capacity for terror and to exert significant pressure to hopefully cause a release of the hostages. Right now, America is holding Israel back.
“America is holding Israel back.” Should read, The shadow cabal run by Obama, Jarret and Rice is holding Israel back.
Boy it would be nice to have Friedman as back as part of the Trump Team maybe in lieu of Blinken. Having a Zionist as Secretary of State would be great.
Ambassador Friedman for VP and, hopefully after that, the next president. I was wondering if he’d be too old but, damn, he’s only 65! He’s one year older than me. Obama is one year younger than me. They are both of my generation. Icould have gone to high school with them. How ’bout that!
Ambassador Friedman for VP and, hopefully after that, the next president. I was wondering if he’d be too old but, damn, he’s only 65! He’s one year older than me. Obama is one year younger than me. They are both of my generation. Icould have gone to high school with them. How ’bout that!