The bottom line is over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since 10/7/2023 and over 1,100 Israelis have also been killed. It's overkill by Benjamin Netanyahu no matter which way you look at it. I don't see how anybody could defend that. And Trump building a resort on top of a cemetery 😠No surprise there!!!
I’m sorry, but that is irrational. To compare Netanyahu to Putin is again just another blood libel. The Palestinians have had numerous opportunities to have their own state. They’ve turned it down each time. They launched a genocidal attack against Israel after building an underground city to hide their genocidal army. They define the operational battlefield, not Israel.
Putin launched an unprovoked attack. Moreover is he allied with Iran, who financed in part Hamas and enabled their attack on Israel as they did with Hezbollah. It is the Palestinians that are part of Hamas that are Putin-like as is Iran.
The general misinformation on the left is what leads to these antisemitic attacks. And yes, these irrational misinformed attacks on Israel and Netanyahu cloak antisemitism.
I’m not saying one cannot have criticisms of either Israel or Netanyahu, but that criticism should be combined with your own ideas of how to eradicate Hamas and eliminate the threat to Israel
The Palestinian Authority supports the idea of a two-state solution; Israel at times has also supported the idea, but currently rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. Long-serving Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated his objection to a Palestinian state on two separate occasions, in 2015 and 2023. It depends where you get your information from. Bibi has been running a hard right regime, the worse Israel has ever seen. I have many Jewish friends who dislike what he's doing to Israel. I fear the more he kills innocent citizens, the more the distorted hateful people want to harm and take it our on the Jews, even here in the USA as just sadly happened, to two beautiful young people.
The Palestine Authority has never supported a two state solution. Never. The Arabs rejected it in 1948 and pretty much every year since then The Palestinians rejected it in 2000 and then started the 2nd intifada which resulted in the death of over 1000 Israeli innocent civilians, many of them children. No leader of the Palestinians has ever accepted the right of Israel to exist. Certainly not as a Jewish state. Israelis sent the Palestinians two Prime Minister’s, Ehud Barak and Ehud Omar each who ran on the idea of a two state solution. Each offer their interocular a state for the Palestinians. Each was turned down. Israel left Gaza in 2005. It was not pre-ordained that the Palestinians would build an underground city to shield a genocidal army. They chose that on their own. They could’ve built a liberal society alongside Israel in Gaza as a down payment on a future state. But they prefer to kill Jews. You don’t help them by masquerading these facts. Holding them to account for the refusal to accept Israel is the only way you can help them. Tell me how a Palestinian state does not become a failed state or terrorist state like Gaza became. If you can’t clearly articulate that, then no reasonable person could expect them to accept a Palestinian state on their border. Not unless you want more October 7s. That would be collective suicide on the part of the Israelis.
Michael, it seems you and I will never find a common ground. They have accepted a two-state solution on more than one occasion. I recommend you listen to Thomas Friedman, who has been an authority on the Middle East for 40 years or so. Check out Amapour and Co. on YouTube. 5/9. It's so awful that over 1000 innocent Israeli civilians were killed, but I assume you know that means probably 20.000 innocent Palestinians were also murdered. Bibi with his ultria nationalistic government does not want peace. He wants the land. Israel has the know-how to remove the Hamas terrorists surgically, but he wants to take over the West Bank. Bibi is another corrupt leader, a felon, who needs to be in power to stay out of jail, just like Trump.
You can have your own opinions. You don’t get to have your own facts. No Palestinian leader has ever made an offer for Israel to remain separate and Jewish. If you know of one, please point it out and be specific. We know of Ehud Barak’s offer to Arafat at Camp David with Team Clinton. Why did Arafat turn it down and then launch massive suicide attacks against Israel? We know Ehud Omar made a similar offer to Abu Massan and that was turned down. You can hate Bibi all you like, that does not justify the genocidal ambitions of the Palestinians that have existed for the entirety of Israel's existence.
Moreover, please stop with your antisemitic tropes. The Israelis have “the know-how to remove the Hamas terrorists surgically, but he wants to take over the West Bank”. Yes of course. Those scheming Jews are at it again. Of course they could take out Hamas if they wanted to, but they don’t mind killing children to get to the land because of course. If that is what you are hearing from Tom Friedman or Christiane Amanpour? Is that what they say? And one wonders why that deranged kid drove from Chicago to DC to kill that couple? Because his mind has been poisoned with blood libels like the one you just spouted.
Pssst. Israel doesn’t leave the West Bank because when they left Lebanon in 2000, they get Hezbollah at their throat from the north and when they left Gaza, they saw what the Gazans did—build an underground city and a genocidal army.
If you want to help the Palestinians, they help them learn how to build a tolerant, liberal culture not based on grievance and victimhood so that they can be productive and not spend their time figuring out how to get back at the Jews.
Yes. You and Miriam Polli are both right. Unfortunately, the "pro-Palestinian" crowd at Harvard and elsewhere do not observe this distinction. Some of the most anti-Netanyahu people I meet are Jewish! And here's another one: Most of the decent, hard-working Palestinian people I meet (there are many here in the DC metro area) despise Hamas as much as they do "Bibi" and his far-right thugs. That is why they escaped to America and a new life and new hope! Thank you both (Dave and Miriam) for your input and keep up the fight!
I disagree, Michael. To be more specific, when I say anti Israel I'm referring to the Israeli government and it's current treatment of the Gazans. It doesn't mean I support Hamas or Hezbola or any of the other religious factions contributing to this perpetual holy war. I have nothing against any of these peoples who are not fighting with each other. I support both the existence of Israel and a Palestinian state. I won't claim to understand who is the worst bad guys are here. Plenty bad all around...
I’m sorry, but you are wrong. The Israeli government is fighting the war that the vast majority of Israelis want them to fight in terms of eradicating Hamas. There is some internal disagreement about how to prioritize the hostages, but there’s no disagreement about the need to eradicate Hamas. As Hamas is hiding underneath the city, the only way to do that is destroy the buildings on top. The people putting Gazans in harms way is Hamas, not Israel. As I wrote to someone else on this thread, the Israelis have sent multiple Prime Ministers to the Palestinians to offer them a state. The Palestinians have turned it down, typically with bloodshed, murdering Israelis often children. Israel have demonstrated they were ready to live peacefully next to Palestinians each in their own state. The Palestinians were the ones who are not ready to stop murdering Jews. These are just the facts. It’s sad to me that so many people misrepresent this or try to muddy the water by saying it’s both sides. It isn’t. Just like it’s not Ukraine‘s fault that Russia invaded it, it’s not Israel‘s fault that Hamas built an underground city with a genocidal army, and then came to murder Jews.
It’s not Israel’s fault that when they offered a Palestinian state in 2000 and 2005, the Palestinians turned it down. It’s not Israel‘s fault that the Palestinians initiated the 2nd intifada after the Palestinians turned down the peace offer in 2000.
It’s not Israel’s fault that when they left Lebanon in 2000 with a UN resolution, what filled the vacuum was Hezbollah. Israel got no credit from its neighbors for leaving Lebanon did they? Nor do they get credit for that from the critics on the Left.
Tell me why did the Palestinians turn down a peace offer in 2000 and then start the second intifada?
When Israel left Gaza in 2005, why didn’t the Palestinians build a liberal society? Why did they build an underground city and a genocidal army?
When Israel left Lebanon in 2000, why was the result an armed terrorist group on the northern border preparing to murder Israelis?
How is any of that the fault of Israel?
People complain about settlements, but the things I talk about came before settlements, so you have be prepared to answer about Lebanon and Gaza and the 2nd intifada before you can talk about settlements
This is not a perpetual “holy war”. There were two people fighting for the same land. The U.N had a partition agreement in 1948. One group accepted it and one group declared war.
Since then, Israel has been fighting for its existence. As I described, they made peace offers to the Palestinians, one in 2000 and one in 2006. Both were rejected and the rejection in 2000 was followed up by 4 years of suicide bombings.
One side strives to live in peace and once side plots to end the Jewish state.
Lastly, you said “No, the people putting Gazans in harms way are the people dropping the bombs.”
Either you have a double standard when it comes to Israel of if this is your consistent standard, you don’t believe a sovereign country has the right of self defense if that self defense means killing the other side.
In Ukraine, hundred of thousands of Russians have died. Many if not most of the dead Russians were conscripts who had no choice in the matter. They were there to be cannon fodder.
Who is responsible for their deaths? Putin the one who put them there against their will? Or the Ukrainians who are the ones who “dropped the bombs”?
I suspect you would say it is Putin who is responsible. But in Gaza, you blame Israel. You have a double standard when it comes to Israel. In Ukraine’s war of defense, I suspect you blame Putin for the carnage (as you should). In Israel war of defense, you are not sure who is to blame for starting it and in any event, Israel is to blame for the deaths in Gaza. Why the double standard?
Of course, Isael can be criticized without said criticism being antisemitic. It is silly to suggest I said anything of the sort. Israel is a country full of human beings flawed like the rest of us. They are prone to misjudgments like any other democratic country.
You are the one treating them differently, suggest Netanyahu is like Putin. You suggest Israel could end the war without civilian deaths since the Israel has the “know-how to remove the Hamas terrorists surgically”. You suggest Bibi and his government (and therefore the Israelis who voted them into power) are indifferent to the suffering the Palestinians because they just “want the land”. This ignores obvious facts like Israel left Gaza in 2005 not to mention southern Lebanon in 2000. If they just want “the land” why do they keep giving it back? They don’t give up the West Bank because of the attacks that have occurred from the land they already gave up, southern Lebanon and Gaza. You ignore this.
I am aware of the criticisms inside Israel of Bibi and his government. None say what you did, but many believe Bibi is not proving good leadership and is playing politics instead. Allow me to provide you an example of criticism of Bibi that is not laden with antisemitic tropes like yours was.
Bibi’s first failure was to allow Oct. 7 and his refusal to take responsibility for it. He did not heed the warnings of Gazans genocidal inclinations towards Jews and was overconfident in Israel’s ability to deter an attack. Given the catastrophic success of Gazans on Oct 7, Israel was left with an impossible choice. Do they bargain to get the hostages back or do they win the war and defeat Hamas. In both choices lay peril.
If they bargain to get the hostages back, they leave Hamas battered but standing, still controlling Gaza, able to threaten another Oct 7 and certainly re-armed and with new recruits (some forced perhaps) with a ever more radicalized population ready for the next war. Getting the hostages back means likely a bloodier next war with more IDF deaths. They are trading the lives of the hostages for the deaths of future IDF soldiers.
On the other hand, how they can leave the hostages to rot in the tunnels of Gaza? Doing so would tear at Israeli society and would reflect a failure of this Admin or a future Admin to the extent they came to the same conclusion.
It is an impossible choice and yet it is where Israel finds itself. And many in Israel believe that Bibi is too political to lead the country at this time with this impossible choice. The critics of Bibi believe he is politicking and protecting his coalition versus leading and articulating a clear path for the country and the logic behind it and then building consensus. Totally fair criticism, I think.
Like Biden, Bibi is a flawed, vein and overly self-referential politician. He is not Vladimir Putin obviously.
Miriam, with respect, I feel it necessary for me to be direct.
I think that’s a too convenient and too easy soundbite and, because of that, it ends up being yet another false equivalency we need to spend time and energy correcting. There’s many spineless Republicans.
You can begin with Rubio and then move onto every other Republican, who once was willing to call out just what Trump is, but when Trump became a threat to their political career, they turn around and become his biggest supporter. Next, include those Republicans, who knew but never called him out. Are both these two groups examples of “spineless” Republicans? I think they are.
It is hard to react when you are being bombarded; trying to react to one thing, and get blindsided by another uppercut ! The Gatling gun of crimes by the cult in power are overwhelming. It takes all of us .
Its too late to right that ship. All the Republicans who grew a spine were neutered. Romney, Cheney, the Bush’s, even McCain (!!!!) all labeled RINOs. All of super stars and young guns like Paul Ryan fought back and were slain by the MAGA sword.
I think there has to be an alternate path and perhaps the only alternate path is through a mass takeover and redirection of the Democrats.
I love Bernie and AOC, but when the most compelling voices within the Democratic party are the most “Brooklyn” 83 yr old man Ive ever heard and a fringe New Yorker that even most Democrats don’t take seriously.
Please, Julie..don't include the courageous John McCain in with that group.
This is a man who could have been freed from captivity...but he would not leave until all being held were set free. Perhaps living through WWII , having witnessed the atrocities those brave soldiers were made to endure....John McCain has earned our recognition , honor, and respect due him for his faithful & heroic service to our country.
I agree! I adore McCain. He is the creme of the crop. Even as he was dying from cancer he dragged himself into the senate to shoot down a bill to wreck the ACA. That said, MAGA views him as a RINO because he went against Trump. If MAGA had to choose between the will of Trump and the will of Jesus Himself, I cant tell you what they would choose.
Have some die hards in my own family, Julie....very sadly to me, they are simply immovable in their own cult-like entrenchment.As a retired nurse, I see only too plainly djt's mental disintegration.
As to your final sentence...feel I do know the choice my loved ones would make...would break my old heart.
You know that's one thing that has always gotten me. How the military supports this lying, awful, draft dodging baby man who constantly dissed John McCain. John fuggin McCain!! A true hero and patriot. Endured five years of torture and captivity... unbelievably brave man.
How that didn't make the entire military turn on him I will never understand. It's despicable and how anyone can just overlook this behavior is beyond belief.
Being a Veteran, I don't know that the military supports this tyrant just yet. That has not been tested, but we're going to soon find out. Let's not forget that the military is probably made up of about 40% Democracts and 40% Republicans and 20% Independents. We shall see.
This tyrant has embolden everyone that has the authority to apprehend any citizen of their choosing. During Nazi Germany they came a knocking and unfortunately their starting to do it now with the immigrants. Citizens Beware!
Pete Buttigieg is actively engaging audiences including doing long-form interviews in the young male conservative space, and he’s doing well! Adam & Pete are my dream team: both are veterans, centrists, super intelligent, articulate, charismatic and sharp. Love that you’re considering running in 2028, Adam.
I really believe that all members of Congress (including the Senate) have to be willing to lose if that's what's required to do the right thing. And that's also why I think we need TERM LIMITS so that we get rid of the idea that this is a lifetime job.
Also re independents & third party: I think it should start lower down than even Congress: local municipal & county elections, state legislatures, etc. A 3rd party needs to build up from the bottom.
I agree mostly . I am not big on term limits because big money can just pop another body in. Removing Citizens United, stopping gerrymandering and ranked choice voting would do more. What if someone is a good public servant like Biden? After the guardrails are put in place, the structure could be changed to make independent parties more viable like easier to get on ballot nationwide, funding changes, etc. Both parties have imploded and re-formed over the centuries.
Energy expressed by each of you: for that I’m thankful yet I wonder when words will result in ending the autocracy of the now and successfully ignite a citizenry arising for constitution and democracy. Too few have spines. Too many are chameleons such as Rubio who is DLT sycophant. I will never understand how many elected politicians express certain values then turn 180 degrees. No character. No spine. Power hungry, egotistical sycophants are running the country. Greed, hate, supremacy runs rampant.
They need their constituents to remind them that they, and the office of President included, are well-paid servants, civil servants. The cowed Republicans are derelict in their duty; this is “theft in office”, they are not doing what they were paid to do - represent US, we are The People, the American people.
This is the key that we need to discuss for our future. There is no coherent message coming from the Democrats, except that MAGA is Evil! They need to develop a message that resonates with the Middle, as you state.
On the other hand, the Republicans need to get away from all of the extremists on the right.
We need representation that believes in the Constitution and the rule of law. We don't need this extremism ON BOTH SIDES!
Don't hold your breath, "We The People" are the only ones going to fix this problem. All 165 million of us that didn't vote for this joke of a person. 🤡
I don't see the same kind of extremism in the Democrats. If anything there's too much Neville Chamberlain when we need Churchill. The radical right is effective unfortunately.
Unfortunately, I have to agree. It's a shame Kory Booker or some other younger type could've decided to buck the machine.. We need to get rid of all the old F**ts. I'm 76 and see the need for new leadership that is centrist.
I am Jewish. I do not support Bibi. As a 67yr old Democrat, I agree that the party needs to bring new leaders to the party. We rejoiced when Clinton was elected as the first Baby boomer and the republicans tried to bring him down with a consensual sex scandal., but he also did some good things for this country. Now they have a felony cult leader, twice elected( 2024 I have doubts) basically ripping up the constitution.
I’m all for a centrist Democrat running in 2026. Male or female it should be middle aged and willing to work for the American people, not the people who pay for their campaigns for favors. Overturn Citizens United!!!
Adam, we need somebody with a lot on the ball to get the country back on its feet in 3 years. The democratic party is incompetent. On top of that, they are worn out and burned out! You are one of the few on the planet with integrity that people trust. You lead by including others that want to be with you. You lead with dignity and respect. As a reader on your substack, I have watched how you created a cohesive group of people and transformed us into a group who supported each other. I have seen how this comes naturally to you. You respect others and treat people with dignity. You are humble. You are gracious. You are nice. You have so much to offer America.
Anti Israel or anti Bibi DOES NOT necessarily = antisemitism!!! Please make this distinction!
I love the Jewish people, but hate Bibi as much as I hate Putin and Trump.
Their all in the same club! 👿Bibi👿Putin👿Trump
The bottom line is over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since 10/7/2023 and over 1,100 Israelis have also been killed. It's overkill by Benjamin Netanyahu no matter which way you look at it. I don't see how anybody could defend that. And Trump building a resort on top of a cemetery 😠No surprise there!!!
I’m sorry, but that is irrational. To compare Netanyahu to Putin is again just another blood libel. The Palestinians have had numerous opportunities to have their own state. They’ve turned it down each time. They launched a genocidal attack against Israel after building an underground city to hide their genocidal army. They define the operational battlefield, not Israel.
Putin launched an unprovoked attack. Moreover is he allied with Iran, who financed in part Hamas and enabled their attack on Israel as they did with Hezbollah. It is the Palestinians that are part of Hamas that are Putin-like as is Iran.
The general misinformation on the left is what leads to these antisemitic attacks. And yes, these irrational misinformed attacks on Israel and Netanyahu cloak antisemitism.
I’m not saying one cannot have criticisms of either Israel or Netanyahu, but that criticism should be combined with your own ideas of how to eradicate Hamas and eliminate the threat to Israel
The Palestinian Authority supports the idea of a two-state solution; Israel at times has also supported the idea, but currently rejects the creation of a Palestinian state. Long-serving Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated his objection to a Palestinian state on two separate occasions, in 2015 and 2023. It depends where you get your information from. Bibi has been running a hard right regime, the worse Israel has ever seen. I have many Jewish friends who dislike what he's doing to Israel. I fear the more he kills innocent citizens, the more the distorted hateful people want to harm and take it our on the Jews, even here in the USA as just sadly happened, to two beautiful young people.
The Palestine Authority has never supported a two state solution. Never. The Arabs rejected it in 1948 and pretty much every year since then The Palestinians rejected it in 2000 and then started the 2nd intifada which resulted in the death of over 1000 Israeli innocent civilians, many of them children. No leader of the Palestinians has ever accepted the right of Israel to exist. Certainly not as a Jewish state. Israelis sent the Palestinians two Prime Minister’s, Ehud Barak and Ehud Omar each who ran on the idea of a two state solution. Each offer their interocular a state for the Palestinians. Each was turned down. Israel left Gaza in 2005. It was not pre-ordained that the Palestinians would build an underground city to shield a genocidal army. They chose that on their own. They could’ve built a liberal society alongside Israel in Gaza as a down payment on a future state. But they prefer to kill Jews. You don’t help them by masquerading these facts. Holding them to account for the refusal to accept Israel is the only way you can help them. Tell me how a Palestinian state does not become a failed state or terrorist state like Gaza became. If you can’t clearly articulate that, then no reasonable person could expect them to accept a Palestinian state on their border. Not unless you want more October 7s. That would be collective suicide on the part of the Israelis.
Michael, it seems you and I will never find a common ground. They have accepted a two-state solution on more than one occasion. I recommend you listen to Thomas Friedman, who has been an authority on the Middle East for 40 years or so. Check out Amapour and Co. on YouTube. 5/9. It's so awful that over 1000 innocent Israeli civilians were killed, but I assume you know that means probably 20.000 innocent Palestinians were also murdered. Bibi with his ultria nationalistic government does not want peace. He wants the land. Israel has the know-how to remove the Hamas terrorists surgically, but he wants to take over the West Bank. Bibi is another corrupt leader, a felon, who needs to be in power to stay out of jail, just like Trump.
You can have your own opinions. You don’t get to have your own facts. No Palestinian leader has ever made an offer for Israel to remain separate and Jewish. If you know of one, please point it out and be specific. We know of Ehud Barak’s offer to Arafat at Camp David with Team Clinton. Why did Arafat turn it down and then launch massive suicide attacks against Israel? We know Ehud Omar made a similar offer to Abu Massan and that was turned down. You can hate Bibi all you like, that does not justify the genocidal ambitions of the Palestinians that have existed for the entirety of Israel's existence.
Moreover, please stop with your antisemitic tropes. The Israelis have “the know-how to remove the Hamas terrorists surgically, but he wants to take over the West Bank”. Yes of course. Those scheming Jews are at it again. Of course they could take out Hamas if they wanted to, but they don’t mind killing children to get to the land because of course. If that is what you are hearing from Tom Friedman or Christiane Amanpour? Is that what they say? And one wonders why that deranged kid drove from Chicago to DC to kill that couple? Because his mind has been poisoned with blood libels like the one you just spouted.
Pssst. Israel doesn’t leave the West Bank because when they left Lebanon in 2000, they get Hezbollah at their throat from the north and when they left Gaza, they saw what the Gazans did—build an underground city and a genocidal army.
If you want to help the Palestinians, they help them learn how to build a tolerant, liberal culture not based on grievance and victimhood so that they can be productive and not spend their time figuring out how to get back at the Jews.
Here are a few shows for you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIiNK9zSXi8&t=639s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aFbNJALXBw
Yes. You and Miriam Polli are both right. Unfortunately, the "pro-Palestinian" crowd at Harvard and elsewhere do not observe this distinction. Some of the most anti-Netanyahu people I meet are Jewish! And here's another one: Most of the decent, hard-working Palestinian people I meet (there are many here in the DC metro area) despise Hamas as much as they do "Bibi" and his far-right thugs. That is why they escaped to America and a new life and new hope! Thank you both (Dave and Miriam) for your input and keep up the fight!
Thank you, RB Mc, well said.
Thank you! Many Jews are anti Bibi
This
Wrong. Being anti-Israel is antisemitic.
I disagree, Michael. To be more specific, when I say anti Israel I'm referring to the Israeli government and it's current treatment of the Gazans. It doesn't mean I support Hamas or Hezbola or any of the other religious factions contributing to this perpetual holy war. I have nothing against any of these peoples who are not fighting with each other. I support both the existence of Israel and a Palestinian state. I won't claim to understand who is the worst bad guys are here. Plenty bad all around...
You cannot change his mind. Let it be.
I’m sorry, but you are wrong. The Israeli government is fighting the war that the vast majority of Israelis want them to fight in terms of eradicating Hamas. There is some internal disagreement about how to prioritize the hostages, but there’s no disagreement about the need to eradicate Hamas. As Hamas is hiding underneath the city, the only way to do that is destroy the buildings on top. The people putting Gazans in harms way is Hamas, not Israel. As I wrote to someone else on this thread, the Israelis have sent multiple Prime Ministers to the Palestinians to offer them a state. The Palestinians have turned it down, typically with bloodshed, murdering Israelis often children. Israel have demonstrated they were ready to live peacefully next to Palestinians each in their own state. The Palestinians were the ones who are not ready to stop murdering Jews. These are just the facts. It’s sad to me that so many people misrepresent this or try to muddy the water by saying it’s both sides. It isn’t. Just like it’s not Ukraine‘s fault that Russia invaded it, it’s not Israel‘s fault that Hamas built an underground city with a genocidal army, and then came to murder Jews.
It’s not Israel’s fault that when they offered a Palestinian state in 2000 and 2005, the Palestinians turned it down. It’s not Israel‘s fault that the Palestinians initiated the 2nd intifada after the Palestinians turned down the peace offer in 2000.
It’s not Israel’s fault that when they left Lebanon in 2000 with a UN resolution, what filled the vacuum was Hezbollah. Israel got no credit from its neighbors for leaving Lebanon did they? Nor do they get credit for that from the critics on the Left.
Tell me why did the Palestinians turn down a peace offer in 2000 and then start the second intifada?
When Israel left Gaza in 2005, why didn’t the Palestinians build a liberal society? Why did they build an underground city and a genocidal army?
When Israel left Lebanon in 2000, why was the result an armed terrorist group on the northern border preparing to murder Israelis?
How is any of that the fault of Israel?
People complain about settlements, but the things I talk about came before settlements, so you have be prepared to answer about Lebanon and Gaza and the 2nd intifada before you can talk about settlements
OK, Michael, what did I say that is "wrong". It was my feelings, which may differ from yours, but cannot possibly be wrong. Please be specific.
"The people putting Gazans in harms way is Hamas, not Israel."
FULL STOP. No, the people putting Gazans in harms way are the people dropping the bombs.
Your entire frame is wrong.
This is not a perpetual “holy war”. There were two people fighting for the same land. The U.N had a partition agreement in 1948. One group accepted it and one group declared war.
Since then, Israel has been fighting for its existence. As I described, they made peace offers to the Palestinians, one in 2000 and one in 2006. Both were rejected and the rejection in 2000 was followed up by 4 years of suicide bombings.
One side strives to live in peace and once side plots to end the Jewish state.
Lastly, you said “No, the people putting Gazans in harms way are the people dropping the bombs.”
Either you have a double standard when it comes to Israel of if this is your consistent standard, you don’t believe a sovereign country has the right of self defense if that self defense means killing the other side.
In Ukraine, hundred of thousands of Russians have died. Many if not most of the dead Russians were conscripts who had no choice in the matter. They were there to be cannon fodder.
Who is responsible for their deaths? Putin the one who put them there against their will? Or the Ukrainians who are the ones who “dropped the bombs”?
I suspect you would say it is Putin who is responsible. But in Gaza, you blame Israel. You have a double standard when it comes to Israel. In Ukraine’s war of defense, I suspect you blame Putin for the carnage (as you should). In Israel war of defense, you are not sure who is to blame for starting it and in any event, Israel is to blame for the deaths in Gaza. Why the double standard?
Michael, you win. I guess I'm antisemitic, just like the thousands of Jews who live in Israel.
Of course, Isael can be criticized without said criticism being antisemitic. It is silly to suggest I said anything of the sort. Israel is a country full of human beings flawed like the rest of us. They are prone to misjudgments like any other democratic country.
You are the one treating them differently, suggest Netanyahu is like Putin. You suggest Israel could end the war without civilian deaths since the Israel has the “know-how to remove the Hamas terrorists surgically”. You suggest Bibi and his government (and therefore the Israelis who voted them into power) are indifferent to the suffering the Palestinians because they just “want the land”. This ignores obvious facts like Israel left Gaza in 2005 not to mention southern Lebanon in 2000. If they just want “the land” why do they keep giving it back? They don’t give up the West Bank because of the attacks that have occurred from the land they already gave up, southern Lebanon and Gaza. You ignore this.
I am aware of the criticisms inside Israel of Bibi and his government. None say what you did, but many believe Bibi is not proving good leadership and is playing politics instead. Allow me to provide you an example of criticism of Bibi that is not laden with antisemitic tropes like yours was.
Bibi’s first failure was to allow Oct. 7 and his refusal to take responsibility for it. He did not heed the warnings of Gazans genocidal inclinations towards Jews and was overconfident in Israel’s ability to deter an attack. Given the catastrophic success of Gazans on Oct 7, Israel was left with an impossible choice. Do they bargain to get the hostages back or do they win the war and defeat Hamas. In both choices lay peril.
If they bargain to get the hostages back, they leave Hamas battered but standing, still controlling Gaza, able to threaten another Oct 7 and certainly re-armed and with new recruits (some forced perhaps) with a ever more radicalized population ready for the next war. Getting the hostages back means likely a bloodier next war with more IDF deaths. They are trading the lives of the hostages for the deaths of future IDF soldiers.
On the other hand, how they can leave the hostages to rot in the tunnels of Gaza? Doing so would tear at Israeli society and would reflect a failure of this Admin or a future Admin to the extent they came to the same conclusion.
It is an impossible choice and yet it is where Israel finds itself. And many in Israel believe that Bibi is too political to lead the country at this time with this impossible choice. The critics of Bibi believe he is politicking and protecting his coalition versus leading and articulating a clear path for the country and the logic behind it and then building consensus. Totally fair criticism, I think.
Like Biden, Bibi is a flawed, vein and overly self-referential politician. He is not Vladimir Putin obviously.
Adam, you are the person that you just described to run in 2028!
I am a long term Democrat but we need Adam to run for Prez. He would have my vote.
Mine too! (And yes! I’m a Democrat too!)
Agreed!!!!
Adam for Prez 🎉
Sign me up!
Republicans need to grow a spine and stand up to Trump, Vance and Musk.
I just heard someone say, The Republicans are shameless, but the Democrats are spineless. Whoa!
Miriam, with respect, I feel it necessary for me to be direct.
I think that’s a too convenient and too easy soundbite and, because of that, it ends up being yet another false equivalency we need to spend time and energy correcting. There’s many spineless Republicans.
You can begin with Rubio and then move onto every other Republican, who once was willing to call out just what Trump is, but when Trump became a threat to their political career, they turn around and become his biggest supporter. Next, include those Republicans, who knew but never called him out. Are both these two groups examples of “spineless” Republicans? I think they are.
Good point, John.👍
Yes I agree. I said I heard someone say this. At times close to the truth but too all encompassing
It is hard to react when you are being bombarded; trying to react to one thing, and get blindsided by another uppercut ! The Gatling gun of crimes by the cult in power are overwhelming. It takes all of us .
Its too late to right that ship. All the Republicans who grew a spine were neutered. Romney, Cheney, the Bush’s, even McCain (!!!!) all labeled RINOs. All of super stars and young guns like Paul Ryan fought back and were slain by the MAGA sword.
I think there has to be an alternate path and perhaps the only alternate path is through a mass takeover and redirection of the Democrats.
I love Bernie and AOC, but when the most compelling voices within the Democratic party are the most “Brooklyn” 83 yr old man Ive ever heard and a fringe New Yorker that even most Democrats don’t take seriously.
Oh please, please let Adam run as a Democrat!
Please, Julie..don't include the courageous John McCain in with that group.
This is a man who could have been freed from captivity...but he would not leave until all being held were set free. Perhaps living through WWII , having witnessed the atrocities those brave soldiers were made to endure....John McCain has earned our recognition , honor, and respect due him for his faithful & heroic service to our country.
John McCain was an American hero!🇺🇸
I agree! I adore McCain. He is the creme of the crop. Even as he was dying from cancer he dragged himself into the senate to shoot down a bill to wreck the ACA. That said, MAGA views him as a RINO because he went against Trump. If MAGA had to choose between the will of Trump and the will of Jesus Himself, I cant tell you what they would choose.
Have some die hards in my own family, Julie....very sadly to me, they are simply immovable in their own cult-like entrenchment.As a retired nurse, I see only too plainly djt's mental disintegration.
As to your final sentence...feel I do know the choice my loved ones would make...would break my old heart.
You know that's one thing that has always gotten me. How the military supports this lying, awful, draft dodging baby man who constantly dissed John McCain. John fuggin McCain!! A true hero and patriot. Endured five years of torture and captivity... unbelievably brave man.
How that didn't make the entire military turn on him I will never understand. It's despicable and how anyone can just overlook this behavior is beyond belief.
Being a Veteran, I don't know that the military supports this tyrant just yet. That has not been tested, but we're going to soon find out. Let's not forget that the military is probably made up of about 40% Democracts and 40% Republicans and 20% Independents. We shall see.
Thank you for your honorable service to our country, John....
you...and countless others like you.
Like John McCaine...hero's all!
Thanks for the kind words!! 🫡
I agree JBIO, but that even ONE does is reprehensible. I have seen many and known many who fully support this Hate Clown.
And cops?? Another one that amazes me. But our policing system has needed reform for decades anyway.
This tyrant has embolden everyone that has the authority to apprehend any citizen of their choosing. During Nazi Germany they came a knocking and unfortunately their starting to do it now with the immigrants. Citizens Beware!
You have good eyes, Mari....and a discerning heart.👏👏
Thank you for that kindness Lynn! ❤️❤️
I keep praying for that too, but at this point, I doubt
Never going to happen, Musk maybe!
AOC and Bernie are making a difference; Thank God!
Pete Buttigieg is actively engaging audiences including doing long-form interviews in the young male conservative space, and he’s doing well! Adam & Pete are my dream team: both are veterans, centrists, super intelligent, articulate, charismatic and sharp. Love that you’re considering running in 2028, Adam.
One simple message. Country over party. Period.
I missed you live, but I am going to watch right now. Thank you so much Adam and Elie!
I really believe that all members of Congress (including the Senate) have to be willing to lose if that's what's required to do the right thing. And that's also why I think we need TERM LIMITS so that we get rid of the idea that this is a lifetime job.
Also re independents & third party: I think it should start lower down than even Congress: local municipal & county elections, state legislatures, etc. A 3rd party needs to build up from the bottom.
I agree mostly . I am not big on term limits because big money can just pop another body in. Removing Citizens United, stopping gerrymandering and ranked choice voting would do more. What if someone is a good public servant like Biden? After the guardrails are put in place, the structure could be changed to make independent parties more viable like easier to get on ballot nationwide, funding changes, etc. Both parties have imploded and re-formed over the centuries.
Trump's pardons for the Jan 6 insurrectionists were utterly disgusting.
the pardons don't seem to stick. It only took a week for 12 of them to get rearrested for assault. I mean, it's just what they are good at.
But some are running for office too.
Appreciate the conversation from both you guys. Thanks Adam. 💙💙🇺🇸🇺🇸✊🏽✊🏽
Energy expressed by each of you: for that I’m thankful yet I wonder when words will result in ending the autocracy of the now and successfully ignite a citizenry arising for constitution and democracy. Too few have spines. Too many are chameleons such as Rubio who is DLT sycophant. I will never understand how many elected politicians express certain values then turn 180 degrees. No character. No spine. Power hungry, egotistical sycophants are running the country. Greed, hate, supremacy runs rampant.
They need their constituents to remind them that they, and the office of President included, are well-paid servants, civil servants. The cowed Republicans are derelict in their duty; this is “theft in office”, they are not doing what they were paid to do - represent US, we are The People, the American people.
Thank You!
This is the key that we need to discuss for our future. There is no coherent message coming from the Democrats, except that MAGA is Evil! They need to develop a message that resonates with the Middle, as you state.
On the other hand, the Republicans need to get away from all of the extremists on the right.
We need representation that believes in the Constitution and the rule of law. We don't need this extremism ON BOTH SIDES!
Don't hold your breath, "We The People" are the only ones going to fix this problem. All 165 million of us that didn't vote for this joke of a person. 🤡
I don't see the same kind of extremism in the Democrats. If anything there's too much Neville Chamberlain when we need Churchill. The radical right is effective unfortunately.
Unfortunately, I have to agree. It's a shame Kory Booker or some other younger type could've decided to buck the machine.. We need to get rid of all the old F**ts. I'm 76 and see the need for new leadership that is centrist.
I am Jewish. I do not support Bibi. As a 67yr old Democrat, I agree that the party needs to bring new leaders to the party. We rejoiced when Clinton was elected as the first Baby boomer and the republicans tried to bring him down with a consensual sex scandal., but he also did some good things for this country. Now they have a felony cult leader, twice elected( 2024 I have doubts) basically ripping up the constitution.
I’m all for a centrist Democrat running in 2026. Male or female it should be middle aged and willing to work for the American people, not the people who pay for their campaigns for favors. Overturn Citizens United!!!
Why Adam, say the drm’s aren’t calling Trump out? Aoc, sanders, murohy, raskin, reich ALL saying he us corrupt, cruel and chaotic.??
Adam, we need somebody with a lot on the ball to get the country back on its feet in 3 years. The democratic party is incompetent. On top of that, they are worn out and burned out! You are one of the few on the planet with integrity that people trust. You lead by including others that want to be with you. You lead with dignity and respect. As a reader on your substack, I have watched how you created a cohesive group of people and transformed us into a group who supported each other. I have seen how this comes naturally to you. You respect others and treat people with dignity. You are humble. You are gracious. You are nice. You have so much to offer America.