Hamas, an Iranian-backed Palestinian terror group, ended any prospect of a Palestinian state Friday when it launched a massive terror attack against Israeli civilians, killing hundreds and wounding more than 2,000.
There is no way that Israelis will ever accept life alongside a Palestinian state now -- not after terrorists invaded Israeli towns, kibbutzim, and even a trance music festival, killing and kidnapping anyone who could not escape.
The videos and photos that circulated on social media were horrific -- most of all, the videos of women being abducted, and of Palestinians shouting "Allahu Akbar!" ("God is great!" ) as they trampled a woman's corpse.
Dozens of Israelis were taken hostage, held at gunpoint in their homes or dragged away to Gaza, to an unknown horror. The scenes of Israelis being loaded into trucks evoked films of Nazis doing the same to Jews in Europe.
There is no way to live alongside that kind of twisted society. And it is not the inevitable destiny of Arab or Islamic nations. Just a few days ago, Jews held holiday prayers inside Saudi Arabia for the first time.
Last month, I visited the United Arab Emirates, where I prayed in a synagogue in Abu Dhabi built as part of a government initiative to promote tolerance. I skied with Arab teenagers in Dubai on an artificial indoor mountain. Peace is indeed possible.
But peace is a choice.
When I entered Bethlehem, which is controlled by the Palestinian Authority, I was told by my driver to hide my kippah -- a Jewish headcovering -- with my baseball cap. On my first visit to Bethlehem, 16 years before, my Palestinian taxi driver, who spoke Hebrew, warned me against speaking the language in public.
This, in a holy town that is a "city of peace." It was that, for centuries: it was Palestinian misrule that made it otherwise.
In September, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the United Nations, he talked about the spread of peace throughout the Middle East. When Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the General Assembly, he denounced the existence of Israel and even denied Jews the right to pray at the Western Wall, the holiest site in the Jewish faith for millennia. A few weeks before, he had defended Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
Israel is now at war in Gaza. The goal, as Israeli columnist Caroline Glick said, must be to end the Hamas regime there. The vast majority of Israelis will support that mission; already, the reservists are being called to their units.
There are only two questions: whether Israel can maintain calm on its other frontiers, including its new alliances with Arab states; and how much of Gaza will be left standing when Israel has finally removed Hamas from power.
The latter question has additional, morally vexing elements to it. Israel's Army Radio, a popular source of news in the country, fretted Saturday about the desire to avoid Palestinian casualties. And there will be incredible pressure among Israelis not to do anything that will endanger the lives of civilian hostages -- including women and children -- currently held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza.
One thing is clear: Israel never wants to be in this position again.
That means all talk of a "two-state solution" is just empty air. If Palestinians truly wanted a state, they would have built one -- not just by making peace with Israel, but by investing in their own future instead of terror and hatred.
A Palestinian state is a non-starter; it cannot be a condition for peace.
Palestinians, and Iran, celebrated the sight of Israelis running for their lives. In doing so, they sealed the fate of the Palestinian national project, such as it was.
This is the final edition of THE AGENDA -- finished a few days early!
This week's portion elucidates some of the first laws and principles of the Torah that follow the Ten Commandments, including -- a message particularly relevant to freed slaves -- the Jewish restrictions on indentured servitude.
God also provides the basic civil laws of Jewish society, governing almost every area of life -- in this one portion! -- as well as several basic principles of faith and religious observance. Moses then ascends Sinai for 40 days.
One of the laws God gives is the law against taunting a foreigner. This is different from allowing people to enter your land illegally; it is about showing respect, however, for people from other lands and other groups.
I am reminded of the importance of this principle because of the rhetoric lately attacking Elon Musk, a fellow South African-turned-American, for his foreign roots -- often by people who favor illegal immigration, ironically.
...
Since the Palisades Fire on January 7, my posts have been fairly sparse. I have just been so busy -- fighting the fire, covering the fire, helping neighbors, and launching a new podcast, "Three Homeless Guys," with two local friends.
Things are up and down. My family is still displaced, and we haven't resolved our living situation. We are awaiting answers from the insurance company (State Farm) on what they will cover, including alternative living expenses.
There are some incredible opportunities opening up -- more on that later -- and our kids are generally doing well, though this has been hard for them as well (especially the two middle kids, who miss their friends and their house).
The emotion of it all hit me yesterday. Today I feel wrung out. But I also feel that, in a way, going through the fire has been a process of refinement, of re-casting in a new mould, to face new challenges. And to win each new day.
So much to talk about, once again, as the Trump administration continues at breakneck pace. From DOGE chewing through the federal bureaucracy, to Marco Rubio heading out on his first missions for Trump, there's so much...
Special guests:
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio -- on the L.A. fires and reforming CA insurance
Matt Boyle -- Breitbart News political editor, on DOGE and confirmations
Jamie Paige -- founder of the Westside Current, on L.A. politics and the fires
Frances Martel -- Breitbart News foreign editor, on Rubio and Russia/Ukraine
Rob Hersov -- South African commentator, on SA's fight with the White House
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call in: 866-957-2874
