Finally, at long last, Israel has issued a long overdue ultimatum to Hamas, giving them a week to agree on releasing hostages, or face a full-scale war in Rafah. Or so says a Wall Street Journal reporter based on information from an Egyptian informant. We would all rejoice if we could free the captives. But this ridiculous, open-ended negotiation with a terror group sitting inside a bombed-out, destroyed country which is only functioning because of massive US food shipments that allow them the luxury of digging in their heels and making “demands” is a travesty. It’s disgusting what our “allies” are doing to us.

Israel deserves Hamas’ total surrender. We have earned it with the blood of soldiers in an unbelievably difficult war fought behind the backs of civilians and underneath the ground. Why is artificially propping Gaza up a good thing? Human suffering, you say? What about Israel’s suffering, its tortured families who have had to imagine the rape of their daughters in terror tunnels for six months? Isn’t that also human suffering, Mr. Biden? Let them starve, and let them surrender.

I want to say that the protests in America don’t really affect us here in Israel. After all, this is happening in America, to Americans and American institutions. They are trampling on American flags, hurting American police. But as an American, it hurts me to watch. It’s a disgrace. What has taken America so long to shut it down? And the frat group in Virginia that took down a Palestinian flag and put up the American flag? Why are they now being hailed as heroes, with a fat GoFundMe account? Why has their simple action been the exception and not the rule?

I’m glad I’m not there. I’m glad it’s not my problem.

These protests have zero effect on our daily lives here in Israel. Or our military policy. We view them askance, at a distance, shaking our heads at so-called university students ( half of those arrested have turned out to be unaffiliated with the university) who are a parody of themselves: they look like freaks and their behavior – calling out for non-gluten vegetarian food to be delivered to them at the barricades! Do they even understand what a joke they are?

I saw a breakdown of who the students are at Columbia University. There are over 20,000 foreign students! That’s where this is coming from, with of course the usual trust-fund ignoramuses on the sidelines, drinking beer and smoking pot and doing this instead of studying for finals. And the level of discourse…! They don’t know what river, or what sea. They call the Hamas baby beheaders their “heroes.” I can’t engage in dialogue with morons like that, nor can I make believe what they think or what they say matters.

But the more U.S. dictates we accept, the more difficult it becomes to pretend that Israel is actually an independent, sovereign nation, and not an American puppet state. I’m not willing for my children or grandchildren to die for an American puppet state.

But what can we do? We are tiny. We need allies against the bullies of the world.

For example, the current bullying of the International Court of Justice which has appointed itself judge and jury for our army, threatening to arrest our military leaders. An important statement issued by the spokesperson of the American State Department this week regarding these lawsuits states: ”We believe that the International Criminal Court in The Hague has no jurisdiction in this matter.” No, I would say not.

Hitler -annabee Erdogan, still incensed by his unpopularity among Turkish voters in recent election results, which he blames on Israel even though his party is losing public support completely their own merits, has led to Turkey banning most imports and exports between Israel and Turkey. MK Israel Katz, in response, asked that his ministry draw up a list of all imports from Turkey, even those not mentioned by Erdogan. Good idea! Let’s shut them down completely. I won’t buy anything from Turkey, ever. Talk about them cutting off their nose to spite their face! They are losing billions from one of their best customers, something which will no doubt really increase the little Hitler’s local popularity. Not smart.

The continued announcement of death after death of Israelis that were thought to be on the hostage list, is upsetting. A father whose kidnapped daughters were returned in a hostage deal and who was presumed to be alive, has now been declared dead. Hamas killed him and kidnapped his body! Tell me, what kind of savages kidnap dead bodies? How is that even possible in the Middle East heat? And then there is our own investigations where some people considered hostages have been found to be buried here in Israel in a shared grave. Elyakim Liebman, one of the Nova bodyguards, who was thought to be a kidnap victim, has been found to have been mistakenly buried together with Nova victim and fellow bodyguard Victoria Grobman.

How much human suffering has Hamas caused by its bottomless hatred! And the people of Gaza are responsible for putting them into power. Over 85,000 Gazans have apparently left through Egypt since the start of the war. I understand America is now talking about importing Gazans by the thousands to American cities… Is there any sanity left in my birthplace? Any responsible adults? The great hope of the world, the American Dream which inspired my parents and grandparents, cannot be allowed to be destroyed, or hijacked, or weakened. The world needs a strong America. Israel needs a strong America.

May G-d bless her, land that I (still) love. Stand beside her and guide her out of this morass.

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