Category Archives: Israel

April 3, 2022 · 10:01 pm

THE FIGHT TO SAVE LIVES

BLOG 560

April 4, 2022

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

Having traveled and worked in the Middle East since l968, Robert L. Wise has journeyed through the region, giving him insights from behind the scenes. Two of his sons taught in Jordan and Lebanon. Each week he attempts to present an objective view of current events.

THE FIGHT TO SAVE LIVES

Strange how life is seen in the Middle East. In Israel, they celebrate the “chaim,” “to life!” Others don’t. Here’s two stories that illustrate the contrast.

Doctors at the Israeli field hospital in Ukraine delivered the first baby born at the medical site set up amid Russia’s invasion of the country, Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced Friday. “After a very difficult week, finally some good news,” the ministry stated, adding that both the baby, born Thursday, and mother were doing well.

The baby was delivered by Caesarian section, according to a public relations official at Sheba Medical Center, which is helping operate the hospital in Mostyska, outside the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

The hospital is named “Kohav Meir” (“Shining Star”) in honor of former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, who was born in Ukraine and was the founder of the Foreign Ministry’s Agency for International Development Cooperation aid program, which is leading the project.

Housed on the grounds of an elementary school, the NIS 21 million ($6.5 million) facility fills 10 outdoor tents and has also converted multiple classrooms into hospitalization wards.

Here’s the other side of the story.

Three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group who were killed during an overnight arrest operation in the West Bank may have been en route to carry out an attack in Israel, according to Hebrew-language media reports on Saturday.

Security officials said that a number of scenarios were being examined, with the most probable being that the cell planned to cross into Israel from the West Bank and carry out a shooting attack similar to the one earlier this week in Bnei Brak in which five people were killed.

Less likely scenarios were thought to be that the cell planned to infiltrate into a settlement in the West Bank and kill a family, or to carry out a shooting attack on a passing vehicle. The latter was thought to be of low probability due to a reduced number of vehicles with Jewish passengers on Shabbat in the West Bank.

What a strange paradox. One group travels across the world to set up a hospital to save people. Another group travels a few miles to kill people. That’s the world we live in today!

Readers of my Wise on the Middle East blog will be fascinated by my latest book MIRACLES NEVER CEASE!

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Filed under Israel, Palestinians, Russia, The Middle East

Tagged as Israel, Russia, The Middle East, Ukraine

March 13, 2022 · 8:45 pm

UKRAINE AND ISRAEL Pt. 2

BLOG 557

March 714 2022

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

Having traveled and worked in the Middle East since l968, Robert L. Wise e has journeyed through the region, giving him insights from behind the scenes. Two of his sons taught in Jordan and Lebanon. Each week he attempts to present an objective view of current events.

UKRAINE AND ISRAEL

Part 2

Surprisingly enough, the Middle East has surfaced as possibly having a role to play in halting the Russian attack on Ukraine. The suggested involvement came from Ukrainian President Zelensky himself.

Volodymyr Zelensky suggested on Saturday that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end the war could be held in Jerusalem. The Ukrainian leader also told media he believed Israel could provide security guarantees for his country, and said he hoped Prime Minister Naftali Bennett would have a positive influence on negotiations. He said he told Bennett he did not believe negotiations could take place in Russia, Ukraine, or Belarus. Zelensky spoke at a special briefing for reporters from Kyiv, under heavy guard.

“We generally support mediation by anyone,” he said in an answer to a question about Israel’s potential role. “But I wouldn’t call Prime Minister Bennett ‘anyone.’ You can play an important role because Israel is a country with a rich history.”

Zelensky added that Ukrainian immigrants were among Israel’s founders, “who brought with them their history and their desire to build a great country, as it is now. So, it’s not bad at all for us to have such mediation.”

Zelensky said his government assessed that some 1,300 Ukrainian troops had been killed in the fighting so far. He insisted that Russian losses were far higher. He also said Russia “will conquer Kyiv only if they kill all of us. They’ll need to live in a world without us. They won’t find friends among Ukrainians.”

Israel has been engaged in diplomatic efforts to try to end the war in Ukraine, with Bennett traveling to Moscow last Saturday for hours long meeting with Putin. He was the first foreign leader to sit down with the Russian president since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Asked how the city was significant in this context, Israel’s Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky said: “As a city of all the faiths. A city where individuals and people of different faiths live in coexistence. A city that is equally important for Ukrainians and Russians.”

Earlier in the day, a top adviser to Zelensky denied a report that Israel had pushed the Ukrainian leader to accept an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin that would see Kyiv make significant concessions to end Russia’s invasion.

Mikhail Podolyak tweeted that Bennett did not urge Ukraine to agree to the Russian demands, as was reported Friday by two Hebrew-language outlets.

Any light at the end of the tunnel? Not yet, but keep your flashlights on.

I have new books coming out!

MIRACLES NEVER CEASE

by Robert L. Wise

You can obtain a copy through Amazon.

This compilation of miracle stories will inspire, challenge, and give you new insight into divine interventions.

Order today!

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.
I hope you’ll avail yourself of this inspiring story!
Also these fine books are available now:
I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II
Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!
by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)
You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable
Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!
You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.
by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

1 Comment

Filed under Israel, Russia, The Middle East, Ukraine

Tagged as Israel, The Middle East, Ukraine

February 27, 2022 · 4:02 pm

UKRAINE FROM ISRAEL’S POINT OF VIEW

BLOG 555

February 28, 2022

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

UKRAINE FROM ISRAEL’S POINT OF VIEW

The world has been shocked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Middle Eastern view point gives us more insight to consider what is happening at this moment. Here’s what Israel media is now saying.

The Jerusalem Post reports this story for American readers.

Christians, wake up: If the world doesn’t stop Putin, NATO and Israel are next. Putin’s alliance with Iran and Syria tells us all we need to know about his ambitions in the Mideast.

The world was blindsided by World War II and the abject horrors of the Holocaust because it didn’t understand the evil nature of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime in Berlin.

The US was blindsided by the sneak attack at Pearl Harbor in 1941 because Washington didn’t understand the evil nature of the Imperial Japanese regime in Tokyo.

The world was blindsided by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 because it didn’t understand the evil nature of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. Likewise, the US was blindsided by the 9/11 attacks in 2001 because it didn’t understand the evil nature of Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda terror network.

Today, the world is being blindsided again because it doesn’t understand the evil nature of Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Leaders in Washington, London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels and beyond seem completely baffled by Putin’s lust to attack, crush and re-occupy Ukraine.Do Western government officials truly not understand what is at stake here? Are Christian leaders really so willfully ignorant of the threat Putin poses to both Jews and Christians?

At his core, Putin is a mafia boss, obsessed with power and wealth, and willing to rob, kill or destroy to obtain both.

Using the Red Army, he already seized control of 20% of Georgia, all of Crimea, the eastern section of Ukraine and all of Syria. And murdered and imprisoned Russian dissidents. And co-opted Belarus. The list goes on and on.

At the same time, Putin sees himself following in the tradition of the Russian czars, believing he has a divine right to rule with an iron hand and is permitted to use any means necessary to rebuild the glory of Mother Russia.

What a chilling combination.

That’s an Israeli perspective on today’s critical situation. Think it over.

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MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

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Filed under Iran, Iraq, Israel, Russia, The Middle East, War, World

Tagged as politics, Putin, Russia, The Middle East, Ukraine, War

February 20, 2022 · 10:26 pm

GOOD NEWS? MAYBE

BLOG 554

February 21, 2022

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

GOOD NEWS? MAYBE

The situation of Russia’s possible attack on the Ukraine has grabbed the media and shaken the stock market. An important story indeed! However, a possibly equal significant situation was unfolding at another bargaining table: the struggle to keep Iran from developing an atomic weapon.

Here’s the latest.

A draft is now being prepared with such important considerations as Iran’s release of Western prisoners in exchange of subsequent gradual waving of sanctions. According to a report Thursday, a draft agreement between Iran and world powers would involve a phased return to the 2015 nuclear deal, with both sides initially taking interim steps to curb enrichment and lift some sanctions.

Former US president Donald Trump abandoned the deal and reimposed sanctions in 2018, leading Iran to resume open enrichment of nuclear material to levels just below weapons-grade and raising fears of a “big” bomb to follow.

Officials involved in talks over the last seven months to reinstate the deal say time is running out, though some have indicated optimism that the sides could reach an agreement soon. According to the diplomats, the time between the initiation of the deal and when sanctions are waived is not yet decided, but is estimated to be between one and three months.

Iran’s top negotiator in Vienna, Ali Bagheri Kani, said Wednesday that world powers were “closer than ever” to reaching an agreement, while the US stated it was in the “very final stages” of indirect talks with the Islamic Republic.

The first phase will include the unfreezing of some $7 billion in Iranian funds stuck in South Korean banks under US sanctions, as well as the release of Western prisoners held in Iran.

Eventually, Iran would return to core nuclear limits like the 3.67% cap on enrichment purity, diplomats declared, and sanctions will begin to be waived.

The new agreement is said to entail the US granting waivers on sanctions against Islamic Republic’s oil sector rather than lifting them outright. This will require the renewal of waivers every few months, as was done with the 2015 deal.

Israel has opposed a US return to the 2015 terms or a similar accord, fearing it would ease Iran’s path to the bomb. Israel media stated Thursday, “The feeling in Israel is that within days or weeks there will be a return to the old-new bad deal we knew.”

Iran is also seeking a guarantee that the US will not be able to withdraw unilaterally from the agreement again, which would require an act of Congress. It is also demanding promises that the US will halt pressuring companies not to trade or invest in Iran.

A breakthrough in sight? Let’s hope so.

I have a new books coming out.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

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Filed under America, History, Iran, Israel, The Middle East

Tagged as iran, Israel, The Middle East, Trump

February 13, 2022 · 8:46 pm

ESPIONAGE!

BLOG 553

February 14, 2022

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

ESPIONAGE!

If you like intrigue and mystery, you’ll find this Middle East episode up your alley. Certainly, gives us insight into how terrorism operates in situations that never make the media’s front page. The story just surface this past week.

Turkish intelligence thwarted an Iranian plan to assassinate an Israeli businessman in the country, according to Turkish media. The intended target, Yair Geller, confirmed the reports. “I know for certain they want to kill me,” Geller said. Authorities led an operation in recent days to arrest eight suspects in the case, according to the Sabah newspaper and many other media outlets.

Turkish reports said an Iranian spy cell comprised of nine operatives. Yair Geller, an Israeli-Turkish businessman who lives in Istanbul and owns an engineering company specializing in aerospace technology. The planned hit was to be a retaliation for the killing of Iranian nuclear chief Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020, widely attributed to Israel’s Mossad, the reports said, as well as a means to hinder warming relations between Ankara and Jerusalem.

The reports confirmed the hit squad followed Geller to his home and workplace and was planning to use Turkish citizens to carry out the assassination. Unbeknownst to the spies, they were being watched themselves, by Turkish agents. Once they determined that assassination preparations were underway, they shared the information with Mossad. Geller was then transferred to a safe house, with Mossad actively aiding in his protection. He was invited to move to Israel for safety but declined.

The leader of the cell in Turkey was identified as Iranian Moshtagh Bighouz. A ninth person, the squad’s leader in Iran, was named as Iranian intelligence officer Yasin Taheremamkendi.

Geller did not know why he was targeted. “I cannot speak freely and I know for certain they want to kill me,” he said. “If I go into detail on the matter, I could cause significant damage to the country, but it’s completely true.”

In November, Cypriot authorities filed charges against six suspects for allegedly planning to attack Israeli targets on the eastern Mediterranean island. Israel reported the cell had been sent by Iran to assassinate billionaire Teddy Sagi, and possibly others. Among those charged was Orkhan Asadov, a 38-year-old Azerbaijani national. He and three Pakistanis indicted in the case were accused of plotting to visit Cyprus to commit acts of terror. All but one of the suspects allegedly planned to kill five Israelis who live in Cyprus.

There you have it. An old-Fashioned James Bond story. Never can tell what will come next.

I have a new books coming out.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

Leave a comment

Filed under Iran, Israel, The Middle East, Turkey

Tagged as Israel, The Middle East, Turkey

February 6, 2022 · 8:27 pm

MORE INSIGHT ON IRAN

BLOG 552

February 7, 2022

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

Having traveled and worked in the Middle East since l968, Robert Wise has journeyed through the region, giving him insights from behind the scenes. Two of his sons taught in Jordan and Lebanon. Each week he attempts to present an objective view of current events.

MORE INSIGHT ON IRAN

With the American preoccupation with the possibility of Russia attacking the Ukraine, the media’s focus has not been on the Middle East. In addition, the Olympics consumed whatever space was left. Nevertheless, Iran’s relentless pursuit of a nuclear weapon remains a critical issue across the region. Here’s the latest that comes from behind the scenes.

The Biden administration reportedly believes that a revival of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran would no longer achieve the key condition of keeping Tehran one year away from amassing enough nuclear fuel for a bomb.

US officials told The Wall Street Journal Thursday that Iran’s so-called breakout time would be significantly less than a year due to the advancements it has made in its nuclear program since former US president Donald Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018.

The exact length of the breakout time will depend on the manner in which Iran agrees to return to compliance with the deal, be it by dismantling its stockpiles of enriched uranium and relevant pieces of equipment, destroying them or shipping them abroad.

However, enough nuclear material for a bomb is not the same as having the capabilities to build the core of the weapon and to attach it to the warhead of a missile, which Iran is not believed to possess and would likely take many more months to achieve.

Despite the former treaty’s more limited impact, US negotiators are still committed to returning to the deal, guided by the belief that some restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program are better than none at all.

As a result, they have told world powers negotiating with Tehran in Vienna that they are prepared to lift most of the sanctions put in place by Trump after he withdrew from the 2015 accord. The Wall Street Journal reported some administration officials warn that if the breakout time is less than six months, it will be much more difficult for the US to respond to a rapid acceleration of Iran’s nuclear program.

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of the US breakout assessments reported by the Wall Street Journal, but said that a revived agreement “would address our urgent nonproliferation concerns.”

“As we have said, we have only a few weeks to conclude an understanding, after which the pace of Iran’s nuclear advances will make return to the former treaty impossible,” the government spokesperson said.

In Israel, the tension remains high because of Iran’s insistence that they will eventually strike the Israelis. On the other hand, Israeli leadership in all parties have made it clear that they will not allow Iran to reach a nuclear weapon. The stage remains set for confrontation.

That’s where we are today. Let’s see what comes next.

Stay tuned!

I have a new books coming out.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

Leave a comment

Filed under History, Iran, Israel, Russia, The Middle East

Tagged as iran, Israel, The Middle East

January 23, 2022 · 8:50 pm

UPDATE ON NETANYAHU’S CRIMINAL CHARGES – PART 2

BLOG 550

January 24, 2022

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

UPDATE ON NETANYAHU’S CRIMINAL CHARGES

PART 2

Last week I updated viewers on the criminal indictments facing former Prime Minister Netanyahu. A number of readers wanted to know more. In the past week, the negotiations have continued with Netanyahu’s legal team trying to keep him out of jail. Here’s where things stand today.

Deputy State Attorney Shlomo Lamberger said Thursday it would be “inconceivable” for a plea deal with opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu not to include a clause of “moral turpitude” — which would bar the former prime minister from public office for seven years.

“Anyone who understands moral turpitude understands that with such acts (criminal behavior) it is inconceivable there isn’t moral turpitude,” Lamberger told the Israel Bar Association, in reference to the charges against Netanyahu in his graft trial. The comments were the first public remarks by a senior justice official about the prospect of a plea deal in Netanyahu’s trial, rumors of which have been swirling in recent days.

According to a television report Thursday, there has been no contact between Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and Netanyahu’s lawyers since a Wednesday phone call, with talks on a potential plea bargain appearing to have stalled. Sources in Israel claim both sides now believe that there will not be an agreement before Mandelblit steps down as attorney general at the end of the month.

The reports have listed Mandelblit’s conditions for an agreement as follows: Netanyahu admits to fraud and breach of trust in cases 1000 and 4000; he accepts the designation of moral turpitude; he will be sentenced to seven to nine months of community service; and he admits to having instructed former Communications Ministry director Shlomo Filber to provide benefits to the controlling shareholder of the Bezeq media company, Shaul Elovitch — the main accusation against the former premier in case 4000.

Netanyahu is on trial in three separate graft cases: for fraud and breach of trust in Case 1000 and in Case 2000, and for bribery, fraud and breach of trust in Case 4000. Under the reported potential deal, the bribery charge in Case 4000 would be dropped, and Case 2000 would be closed altogether.

According to the Israeli media, Mandelblit had moved away from an earlier idea of allowing the trial judges to rule on the question of the moral turpitude clause, rather than having it be an integral part of the deal, and wants it to be agreed to upfront. Netanyahu has been reported to be wary of doing so in case the negotiations subsequently break down.

That’s where we are today. Let’s see what comes next.

Stay tuned!

I have a new books coming out.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

I hope you’ll avail yourself of this inspiring story!

Also these fine books are available now:

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II

Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!

by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

Leave a comment

Filed under Elections, Israel, Netanyahu, The Middle East

Tagged as Israel, Netanyahu, The Middle East

December 26, 2021 · 8:49 pm

THE COMING NEW YEAR

BLOG 546

December 27, 2021

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

THE COMING NEW YEAR

Except for tourists, most of the Middle East doesn’t even slow down for Christmas. The Orthodox celebrate on a different date from December 25. Life usually goes on like every other day. However, here’s several unexpected situations to ponder as we look toward the coming new year.

The head of the first major Islamic Arab party to enter a government coalition said Tuesday that Israel’s status as a Jewish state could not be changed. He was advising the Arab community to follow his pragmatic approach rather than trying to challenge the country’s identity.

Mansour Abbas’s comments were made during a conference held by the Globes news magazine in Tel Aviv. He was attempting to raise his community’s profile by working from within the government, a strategy that some fellow Arab politicians have criticized as selling out the Palestinian national cause.

“Israel was born as a Jewish state,” said Abbas, the head of the Islamist Ra’am party. “And that was the decision of the Jewish people, to establish a Jewish state. The question is not ‘what is the identity of the state?’ That’s how the state was born, and so it will remain.”

Abbas told the audience, “This is the reality. The question is not the about the state’s identity — but what the status of Arab citizens will be in it.” During the March election campaign, Abbas pledged tangible results for his voters, saying that his party offered a “realistic” approach to solving everyday problems in Arab communities, from rising crime to a severe housing shortage.

Interesting. Here’s a couple more items for you to think about.

The Israeli military has revised its open-fire policies for the West Bank, officially allowing troops to shoot at Palestinians who had thrown rocks or firebombs at cars, even if the assailants no longer present an immediate threat.

The policy change was first reported by Israel’s Kan broadcaster on Sunday night, and was later confirmed to The Times of Israel by a military spokesperson. He said it had been in effect for the past month or so. While the spokesperson described the change as a corrective to a situation that allowed suspects to evade justice, experts raised questions over the legality of using lethal force against a person who no longer poses a threat.

Here’s a final thought as you look toward a new year.

51% of Israelis would support a strike on Iran, even without US approval.

I have a new book coming out.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

I hope you’ll avail yourself of this inspiring story!

Also these fine books are available now:

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II

Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!

by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

Leave a comment

Filed under Gaza, Iran, Israel, Palestinians, The Middle East

Tagged as iran, Israel, Palestinians, The Middle East

December 19, 2021 · 6:35 pm

YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT CONFUSION LOOKS LIKE?

BLOG 545

December 20, 2021

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT CONFUSION LOOKS LIKE?

Ever wonder why the world seems to be in such a mess? Recent revelations about the interactions between Israeli and American diplomats demonstrate the strange contradictions and ineptitude that often comes out of Washington.

On January 2020, during a festive White House unveiling of Donald Trump’s long-gestating peace plan, then-Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu giddily announced that under its auspices, Israel would move to immediately annex large parts of the West Bank. The Israeli right was ecstatic. Finally, they believed, Israel would take full control of land that settler leaders hope will remain forever Israeli and with the blessing of a US president, no less.

There was only one problem, according to new reporting on the events of those dramatic days: Nobody had bothered asking President Trump.

In fact, according to a new book from Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, Trump and peace-plan architect Jared Kushner were caught completely off guard by Netanyahu’s declaration during the White House event. The new details were reported in a pair of podcast episodes released Monday in a new series from Axios called “How It Happened,” which uses Ravid’s reporting from his new Hebrew book, “Trump’s Peace,” to tell the story of how Trump’s failed peace plan morphed into the successful brokering of the Abraham Accords to save face for him.

According to the podcast, Netanyahu decided to go forward with the annexation announcement after receiving assurances from then-US ambassador to Israel and longtime settlement-backer David Friedman that the US would back the move, even though the envoy never ran the idea by the White House.

The US proposal envisioned Israel annexing all of its settlements along with the Jordan Valley as part of a final status agreement. But it did not give a clear timeline, and it definitely did not stipulate that the move would take place right off the bat.

“Israel will apply its laws to the Jordan Valley, to all Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, and to other areas that your plan designates as part of Israel and which the US agrees to recognize as part of Israel,” Netanyahu said.

Trump was standing right behind him and glanced at someone off stage, checking to make sure what he had just heard, Ravid recalled. After Netanyahu left the White House, Trump met with his advisers and asked them, “What the hell was that?”

Kushner, meanwhile, was livid.

The “who-said,” “they-said,” went back and forth on and on. Hypocrisy everywhere. Sorry. The scene doesn’t present a reassuring picture of international exchange — or of Netanyahu and Trump.

I have a new book coming out.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

I hope you’ll avail yourself of this inspiring story!

Also these fine books are available now:

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II

Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!

by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

1 Comment

Filed under America, Gaza, Israel, Palestinians, The Middle East, Trump

Tagged as Israel, Netanyahu, politics, The Middle East, Trump

December 5, 2021 · 5:00 pm

AMERICAN RELIGION IN ISRAEL

BLOG 543

December 6, 2021

WISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

AMERICAN RELIGION IN ISRAEL

Why would Israelis care what Americans think or believe about religion? Why? Because the Church was a major persecutor of the Jewish people for centuries. Consequently, a recent edition of The Jerusalem Post published some interesting data on American religious ideas. Take a look at what the Post found.

The Pew Research Center discovered half of American Evangelicals say that “my religion is the one true faith leading to eternal life in heaven,” and that members of other religions – even if they believe in God like Jews do – are not included. The survey found that almost three-fourths of Americans (73%) believe in heaven, but they disagree about who can go there.

Nearly a third (31%) of all American Christians say their religion is the one true faith leading to eternal life in heaven, compared with 58% who say that there are multiple religions that can lead to such eternal reward.

Nineteen percent of Evangelicals say that members of other Christian denominations can achieve eternal life in heaven, and 44% of Christians say that many religions can get you there. Catholics are much more likely (71%) to believe this.

About a third (32%) of Americans also say that people who do not believe in God cannot enter heaven, compared with 39% who say that they can. Evangelical Protestants especially feel that belief in God is a prerequisite for heaven, with 71% saying that only those who have it can go.

In other words, Evangelicals in particular do not believe the Old Testament account that God made a covenant with Israel that the Almighty indicated was not revocable. This group rejects that agreement with Moses and David and maintains Jews will never get to heaven. Other Americans hold a similar position.

Why should Jews note these statistics? The idea that Jews aren’t fit for heaven feeds anti-Semitism. Hatred of Jews and attacks on synagogues has been on the rise in the United States as well as Europe. These facts are not only worrisome but continue to create distrust of the Christian faith in Israel. When American evangelists and Evangelicals say they are friends of Israel while believing they are all going to hell, Israeli’s tend to believe they are lying. You might want to check out what your group believes.

Stay tuned. More to come.

I have a new book coming out.

MAN ON FIRE can be ordered on Amazon or at your local book store.

I hope you’ll avail yourself of this inspiring story!

Also these fine books are available now:

I Marched with Patton: A Firsthand Account of World War II

Alongside One of the U.S. Army’s Greatest Generals!

by Frank Sisson (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

You can find I MARCHED WITH PATTON on Amazon.

82 Days on Okinawa: One American’s Unforgettable

Firsthand Account of the Pacific War’s Greatest Battle!

You can find 82 DAYS ON OKINAWA on Amazon.

by Art Shaw (Author), Robert L. Wise (Author)

Leave a comment

Filed under America, Christians, Faith, Israel

Category Archives: Israel

THE FIGHT TO SAVE LIVES

UKRAINE AND ISRAEL Pt. 2

UKRAINE FROM ISRAEL’S POINT OF VIEW

GOOD NEWS? MAYBE

ESPIONAGE!

MORE INSIGHT ON IRAN

UPDATE ON NETANYAHU’S CRIMINAL CHARGES – PART 2

THE COMING NEW YEAR

YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT CONFUSION LOOKS LIKE?

AMERICAN RELIGION IN ISRAEL

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