Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an unusual press conference on Thursday evening in which he addressed the thorny issue of religious people serving in the military.
For 75 years, ultra-Orthodox males have been able to request exemptions if they are studying religion. That has, over time, been a source of resentment among other, secular (or even just regular Orthodox) members of the population, who have shouldered the military burden.
In fact, that resentment helped fuel the protests that, a year ago, sharply divided Israeli society. The secular-religious divide lay behind much of the political rancor.
So when defense minister Yoav Gallant announced earlier this week that Israel needed to start drafting religious people, due to the extreme demands on IDF manpower (and womanpower) during the ongoing war, that created the potential for an explosive domestic political situation, mid-conflict.
But as Netanyahu explained, there is probably enough political will for some kind of compromise. It won't be one that everyone likes: there is no "absolute agreement" except in North Korea, he said. But it will allow the military to continue to function well -- and will resolve the "social gap" in Israeli society.
If that actually comes together, it will be an incredibly positive thing, and one of the most important victories of the war. Perhaps only a war like this could move Israel to confront its internal cultural and religious divisions. But in doing so, Israel faces an opportunity for an incredible, even miraculous, national rebirth.
Just think of it: a year ago, ultra-religious and secular Israelis were arguing in the streets. (Well, it was more like secular people yelling at religious people.) Now, they could be serving together in uniform. People talk about shared suffering in crisis leading to transformation. This time it may really happen.
I should have noted in my message about the weekly Torah portion that this week is Shabbat Chazon, the Sabbath of Vision. We are about to mourn -- but see through that pain to something better that lies beyond, on the other side.
Wishing you the best vision -- and an incredible reality to follow. It happens!
We begin the final speech of Moses to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He relates the ups and downs of the years of wandering in the desert, before, finally, the people have the merit to enter the land itself.
This Sabbath always precedes Tisha B'Av, the Ninth of Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is the anniversary of the destruction of both of the Holy Temples, and a catch-all for many calamities that befell the Jewish people.
A word on Tisha B'Av. This year I am leaving for an overseas trip during the afternoon of the holiday -- in the middle of a fast day. Not idea, but there was no other choice. But my flight is in the afternoon, which is significant.
We relax some of the harsh, mournful customs of the day in the afternoon. We start to pray normally; we sit on regular chairs; we start to have hope again in the redemption that will, one day, lead us all back from exile to our home.
I'll be taking a trip to a land where an important part of ...
President Trump is in Scotland, playing golf and making big trade deals -- a major deal with the EU, in fact. Meanwhile, there is a global outcry about humanitarian aid to Palestinians (not about the Israeli hostages, mind you).
On top of that, Democrats are at their lowest polling numbers ever -- so they are trying to win control of the House by redistricting in the middle of a 10-year Census cycle. Oh, economic optimism is up, so they have a tough road.
And Tulsi Gabbard's revelations about the Russia collusion investigation make it clear that Obama's lieutenants lied to Congress. How deeply was he himself involved? The media continue to ignore the evidence, but we certainly won't.
Special guests:
Nick Gilbertson - Breitbart News White House correspondent, on EU deal
Frances Martel - Breitbart News foreign editor, on Trump abroad and Russia
John Spencer - urban warfare expert, on humanitarian aid and war in Gaza
Bradley Jaye - Breitbart News congressional correspondent, on the ...
