We are hours away from the International Court of Justice ruling on whether Israel's actions in Gaza could amount to "genocide." It is so absurd... but I am not optimistic and I am worried that Israel will be ordered to stop fighting just at the moment it has Hamas beaten.
I think we know there will be a split decision. The Chief Justice is from the U.S. and there is one Israeli justice (as a courtesy). There are justices from Arab countries who cannot return home alive if they vote in Israel's favor. The question is: a split favoring whom?
South Africa's case was based on garbage propaganda and citations (often inaccurate) of Israeli officials saying offensive (or simply misunderstood) things. Israel's case, as even (informed) South African observers admitted, was very strong on the law itself.
I predict that the court will probably agree with Israel that the case was improperly brought -- but go on to address the merits anyway. It may not accuse Israel of "genocide" but will recognize some kind of vague genocidal potential and issue some non-binding rebuke.
This will be enough for Israel's critics to claim that the ICJ agreed that Israel was on a path to genocide, even if it may also allow the Israeli war effort to continue. South Africa, which actually supports Hamas's genocidal agenda, will claim victory and go back to sucking.
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!
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