You could read it between the lines of the articles on Israeli news websites. Last year, before the election in which a coalition of tiny parties ousted Benjamin Netanyahu, the journalists were eager to see him go, eager for the big drama.
This year, they were subdued. They seemed to know that their old antagonist would return. Though Bibi's replacements had done all right in government, the country lacked strong leadership. They knew he would win, before he did.
Still, Netanyahu's victory is a shock. It is a comeback story for the ages, the story of a man who beat his persecutors. It will also reduce the instability of the last few years, because he will finally have enough of a majority to govern.
The result was made possible by two factors. 1. The case against him fell apart, and prosecutors and police were exposed for using nefarious methods. 2. His replacements lied to their voters; the details are less important than that fact.
U.S. elections don't ride on the outcomes of Israeli votes. But Netanyahu's victory will give encouragement to Republicans, and it outlines the story arc that Donald Trump himself would like to emulate as he returns to the fight.
This is my first broadcast from the new office and studio in Washington, DC, where I'll be for a couple of years my neighborhood back in L.A. cleans up -- and as we follow the Trump administration from a little closer up than usual.
Topics:
- The anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump
- The escalating tariff battle with various different trading partners
- The future of the Middle East peace talks, and ongoing antisemitism
- The Jeffrey Epstein files and whether they mean anything at all
- The continued crisis of the Texas floods, and stories of heroism and survival
And more!
Special guests:
- James Rosen - Newsmax chief Washington correspondent
- Bob Price - Breitbart News Texas reporter, on the ongoing floods
- Robert Cahill - Trafalgar Polling, on a new alliance of reliable pollsters
- Rabbi Yaakov Menken - Coalition for Jewish Values - on Israel & antisemitism
Tune in: 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call: 866-957-2874
This week’s portion tells the grand story of the prophet who tried to curse people of Israel and instead ended up blessing them.
I am reminded that these portions continue to be relevant anew, as this particular reading lent the title for Israel’s recent 12 Day War against Iran, “Operation Rising Lion.”
This week's portion includes the commandment of the red heifer -- one of the classic "irrational" commandments whose fulfillment is an expression of faith. It also includes the regrettable episode in which Moses strikes the rock.
I referred to this story in a wedding speech last night. Why was Moses punished for striking the rock in Numbers, when he struck the rock without incident in Exodus -- both for the purpose of providing water to the people?
The answer is that in the interim, the Jewish people had received the Torah, which is like the marriage contract between the people of Israel and God. In a marriage, you do not resolve things by breaking boundaries, but through love.
The additional reading, from Judges Chapter 11, is the story of Jephthah (Yiftach), a man whom the leaders spurn, but to whom they must turn to save the nation. The parallels to our present political circumstances are striking.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Fourth of July!
...
