What We’re Reading: Israel Abandoned; Is Biden Cutting Long-Time Ally Israel Adrift?

 I & I Editorial Board (issuesinsights.com) 

The commander warned the United States that it blamed America for Israel's actions and said the U.S. should be held accountable. Israel and its allies had already been bracing for retaliation since Israel's attack, leading U.S. officials to believe Iran could target American assets in the region. 

• The Foolishness of Threatening to Cut Support for Israel — American Thinker
• Joe Biden keeps on delivering a dangerous two-faced approach with Israel — NY Post
• Has Terrorist Hamas (And Biden) Checkmated Israel? — Powerline
• Democrat Division Intensifies As Ex-Speaker Pelosi Joins Call For Biden To Stop Arming Israel — ZeroHedge
• Biden Admin Wants to Label Jewish Goods From ‘Occupied Territory’ — PJ Media
• The Peril Of Being In A War Zone — Powerline
• The Obama and Biden Administrations’ Betrayal of America’s Closest Ally in the Middle East: Israel — Gatestone Institute
• The global onslaught against Israel — Melanie Phillips, Substack

DeSantis Signs Bill to Combat Retail Theft, Attacks Policies in 'Leftist Jurisdictions'

 National Review

The bill also institutes several porch-piracy punishments: a first-degree misdemeanor for theft of property worth less than $40; a third-degree felony in the event of a subsequent violation; and a third-degree felony for theft of property valued at $40 or more.

"Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill on Tuesday that combats retail theft and porch piracy, while attacking “leftist jurisdictions” such as California and New York for failing to implement policies that address these crimes.

“Many leftist jurisdictions are enacting policies that ignore retail theft or even encourage it. Those policies are dead on arrival in Florida. We catch criminals and prosecute them,” DeSantis posted on X.

"The legislation, set to take effect July 1, will impose stricter penalties for people who steal retail items, swipe packages off porches, and use social media to incite looting. These offenses will mostly be punishable as felonies.

"Before the bill was enacted, Florida had seen a 30 percent decrease in shoplifting since DeSantis took office five years ago. By contrast, shoplifting increased by 63 percent in New York City since 2019 and 81 percent in Los Angeles since 2022. The lenient policies that these cities put in place have forced many retailers to lock products in plastic cases amid rising crime. 

“You look at a place like California, they passed Proposition 47 that allows people that commit retail theft to be charged with misdemeanor, even if it had traditionally been a felony. That means they get numerous retail-theft offenses. Did they get held accountable? No, they get a slap on the wrist,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Stuart, Fla., where he signed H.B. 549 into law.

“ 'You look at New York, they eliminated cash bail for many offenses, including offenses for retail theft, so that now you can only get a felony theft charge if you steal more than $1,000 worth of merchandise; anything less, you get a desk-appearance ticket that has caused people to loot stores and do $999 worth of looting. And then they leave knowing that they’re not going to be held accountable,” the Republican governor added. 

"In 2022 alone, retailers nationwide lost $112 billion due to retail theft; $4 billion of that amount came from New York that year. Florida seeks to do its part in cutting down on further retail losses through the new legislation. 

“ 'Florida is a law-and-order state, and our policies combating organized retail theft are another shining example of how we are leading the nation,” Florida attorney general Ashley Moody said in a statement." . . . 

Smackdown: CNN's Zakaria tries to egg Finland's leader into blasting Trump, gets egg all over his face instead

Richard McDonough - American Thinker

It is difficult to see how “journalists,” who virtually never seem “cool, calm and collected,” can get so worked up about Trump doing what needs to be done to make NATO stronger and Europe safer.

 

The Truth About Plagiarist Fareed Zakaria’s Views on Censorship

"In a recent discussion with Alexander Stubb, who is the president of Finland, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria apparently thought it would be a cakewalk to get the newly elected European leader to say something negative and alarming about former President Donald Trump.  

"It did not go well for Fareed. 

"President Stubb ended up praising Trump for doing what is right. 

"Fareed, pushing a familiarly deceptive media line, asked President Stubb to comment on “what everybody is talking about,” namely that:

Donald Trump said he would tell Russia to do what you have to do, words to that effect, about NATO members if they hadn’t hit the 2% mark.  What do you do about a president of the United States, the leader of the West, the leader of NATO, if he said that, assuming Trump is elected [in 2024].

"President Stubb did not take the bait. Rejecting Fareed’s attempt to stir up dissension between Trump and NATO members, Stubb said that “the starting point is that Finland will get along with whoever is elected.”  He then explained to Fareed an adult view of Trump’s remark: . . .

"President Stubb even pointed out that Trump has already been successful in this “because 20 out of 32 NATO members will have reached that by this [commitment] by the Washington NATO summit.  In other words, NATO is already safer because of Donald Trump. 

"Fareed thinks this is a new scandal!?

"Fareed, however, who does, after all, work at CNN, pushes back, asking,

But is NATO entirely a transactional organization and do you think it is appropriate for the United States not to defend, not to defend a NATO member if it’s below 2% in its defense spending.

"First, since transactionality is an aspect of rationality, Fareed, unlike Trump, is apparently worried about whether NATO members are rational. 

"President Stubb schooled Fareed that they are."...

Three short videos reveal how Gaza’s Islamic jihad works, and the West’s complicity with its lies

Hamas has taken over so much media, seemingly including Twitter, and into our education system, spawning the masses of pro-Palestine chanters and posters to "free, free Palestine"; a "Palestine" that is free of any Israelis. The Tunnel Dweller

  Andrea Widburg - American Thinker  

Takeaways from all this? Israel and her supporters have been factually accurate from the beginning about Hamas’s propaganda and its use of civilians as the ultimate shields. Democrats and the media (but I repeat myself) know this but they don’t care. To my mind, they are complicit with a very profound evil and, therefore, are themselves evil. 

"For decades, but with special force since October 7, Israel and her friends have always made the same point about Israel’s conflicts with the jihadists who attack her: Everything the jihadists say to the world’s media is propaganda; the world’s media know this but report it anyway; and hospitals are Hamas’s military headquarters and ambulances their military transport, making both legitimate military targets. Two videos (one from Bill Clinton and one from an Islamic Jihad spokesman) prove these facts to be true, and one video (from a Joe Rogan interview with Coleman Hughes) shows how Israel is completely shackled by Hamas’s tactics and the world’s complicity.

"First, here’s a one-minute video of Bill Clinton in 2016 admitting what Israel has always said, which is that the Muslim Arabs in Gaza and the West Bank embed themselves amongst civilian populations as a core military strategy. As an aside, Clinton also complains that he offered the Arabs everything they claimed to have wanted—i.e., their own state—only to have them turn it down. We know, of course, that’s because the state they want is Israel.)". . .

‼️The world media won’t broadcast this‼️
Meet Tariq Salami Otha Abu Shoulf a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. In his interrogation he reveals in simple terms how they organize the mass manipulation of the media.
❌ How they kept the people of Gaza focused… pic.twitter.com/mt2gj57U4r

— Lt. Col. (R) Peter Lerner (@LTCPeterLerner) April 8, 2024

. . ." More importantly, Hughes explains to Rogan that Hamas has completely integrated itself into Gaza’s civilian infrastructure. This means that Israel has only two choices: Surrender to a genocidal, existential enemy (the choice Biden wants to force on it) or fight on the terms the enemy created, which means civilian casualties. Hughes says that we cannot allow this to become an acceptable military strategy, and he’s right:" . . .

Gen Z Is Ruining Scrabble Now!

  HotAir

Mattel Dumbs Down Scrabble After Implying Gen Z Is Not Smart Enough - Louder With Crowder

Hummingbirder 

@Humming_birder

·

19h

"I read it. It's not that woke, just a different scoring system. And a way to play on teams, which is fun when you're playing a board game. I like it."

Scrabble makes historic change to game with ‘less competitive,’ ‘inclusive’ version to appeal to Gen Z https://t.co/pg9PxRZxxN pic.twitter.com/jr2AeBdwwU

— New York Post (@nypost) April 9, 2024

 Scrabble Makes Historic Change To Make Game More ‘Inclusive’ For Gen Z - The Hook news  . . . "Scrabble Together is tailored for individuals who may find the classic game daunting or believe that word games aren’t their forte. Ray Adler, vice president of global games for Mattel, emphasized the company’s commitment to ensuring inclusivity in gameplay, stating, “Scrabble Together mode is an ideal option” for those who may feel intimidated by the traditional version.

"While the introduction of Scrabble Together has garnered praise for its innovative approach, some critics have disparagingly labeled it “Scrabble for Snowflakes” and “Woke Scrabble.”

"So, what’s different? In addition to the dual-sided board, helper cards provide assistance, prompts, and clues tailored to the player’s preferred challenge level. Scoring becomes obsolete in the new version, replaced by the completion of goal cards, each presenting challenges such as playing specific words or achieving certain board placements. The first player to complete 20 challenges wins, while exhausting all helper cards without fulfilling a challenge leads to defeat."

"The implementation of these new rules and scoring methods aims to facilitate shorter games and align with the preference for collaborative, goal-oriented gameplay observed among younger players."

Hamas tells negotiators it doesn’t have 40 Israeli hostages needed for first round of ceasefire

First testimonies shed light on the conditions endured by Hamas’ Israeli hostages | CNN  "For more than six weeks, the conditions in which the Israeli hostages captured by Hamas were being held in Gaza were virtually unknown to the outside world.

"But testimony from some of the hostages released by the militant group in recent days is now beginning to emerge, giving a glimpse into their lives in captivity following Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on October 7.

"Those who have spoken of their experiences described living off limited supplies, as bombs rained overhead. Some knew throughout their time as hostages that family members or friends had died on the day of Hamas’ assault, while others were left without clues as to their safety." . . .

 Alex Marquardt and Jeremy Diamond, CNN    "Hamas has indicated it is currently unable to identify and track down 40 Israeli hostages needed for the first phase of a ceasefire deal, according to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the discussions, raising fears that more hostages may be dead than are publicly known.

"The framework that has been laid out by negotiators says that during a first six-week pause in the fighting, Hamas should release 40 of the remaining hostages, including all the women as well as sick and elderly men. In exchange, hundreds of Palestinian prisoners would be released from Israeli prisons.

Hamas has told international mediators – which include Qatar and Egypt - it does not have 40 living hostages who match those criteria for release, both sources said.

CNN’s record of the conditions of the hostages also suggests there are fewer than 40 living hostages who meet the proposed criteria.

The inability - or unwillingness - of Hamas to tell Israel which hostages would be released, alive, is a major obstacle, the second source added.

"With Hamas appearing to be unable to reach 40 in the proposed categories, Israel has pushed for Hamas to fill out the initial release with younger male hostages, including soldiers, the Israeli official said.

Quit Negotiating With These Genocidal Clowns and Wipe Them Out

 Matt Vespa (townhall.com)

"Jerusalem needs to stop taking crazy pills, ignore the Biden White House, and continue with its plans to level Rafah and wipe out the dying elements of Hamas that are clinging to life within the city. The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is continuing with these fruitless negotiations to satisfy those within the Biden administration, who are pushing for a ceasefire, and civilian pressure at home, who are also wondering if this government is doing enough to secure the release of the hostages." . . . A Pay wall hides the rest. 

Lloyd Austin Confirms What We Already Know Regarding Israel's War in Gaza  "Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday to confirm what we’ve already known about the Gaza War. There is no genocide happening in the region. Pro-Hamas supporters have whined for weeks about a war crime that doesn’t exist. 

"Meanwhile, they’ve coddled and drooled over a terror group that committed crimes against humanity when they invaded Israel on October 7, 2023. Yet, Austin also didn’t call the October 7 attacks a genocide, though there are better arguments to label them as such. He did stress that aid to the Palestinian civilian population, which is also Hamas, is essential in stabilizing the region (via Politico): . . .

Amnesty International Eulogizes 'Palestinian Writer' Who Ordered Murder of Tortured Israeli Soldier  How much hate are you capable of to make you gouge someone's eyes out?

. . .  What the CNN report only glossed over, though, is how Tamam was brutally tortured before being shot point black in the chest.

"Here's how the Jewish Chronicle described the tragic situation:

Daqqah was handed a life sentence in 1986 after being convicted of commanding members of the terror cell the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), to abduct and kill 19-year-old Israeli soldier Moshe Tamam in 1984.

The kidnap, a ransom bid that failed, turned into murder on Daqqah’s orders.

Tamam, who was on leave from the military when he was murdered, vanished after accompanying his girlfriend to her home in the city of Tiberias and returning by bus to Tel Aviv.

His body was found four days later near the entrance to the town of Mevo Dotan in the West.

Tamam’s killers gouged out his eyes, mutilated his body and castrated him before taking him to an olive grove and shooting him dead, according to reports at the time.

Video: Sec. Blinken is 'ASTOUNDED' by lack of anger towards Hamas (Daily Mail)

Sorry, Jew-haters, contrary to all the gloating mainstream media reports, Joe Biden did NOT force Israel to surrender

 BareNakedIslam   "Despite news about Israel pulling troops out of Southern Gaza, Netanyahu’s commitment to eliminating Hamas once and for all is still on the schedule and could commence within the next week or two.

"VOA News Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday an undisclosed date for a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah has been set, even as the White House said its negotiators in Cairo had handed Hamas militants a proposal for a cease-fire and hostage-release deal. “This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there. It will happen. There is a date,” the Prime Minister said. The Biden Regime immediately rebuked Netanyahu. A Pentagon spokeswoman said, “We’ve been very clear that we don’t support operations into Rafah.”

Netanyahu: ‘No force in the world will stop us’ from ‘eliminating’ Hamas (jihadwatch.org)

“We will complete the elimination of Hamas’s battalions, including in Rafah. No force in the world will stop us. There are many forces trying to do this but it will not help because this enemy, after what it has done, will not do this again. Neither will it exist. We are committed to doing this, and each one of you now, at this base, will contribute in one way or another to completing the goal. This must be. After doing such a thing to our country – it will not be done any more.

We have three objectives: One – to return our hostages, all of the field observers, and not just them, but everyone together. We will return them all. The second objective: Eliminating Hamas. The third objective: To ensure that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to Israel.

There is a fourth objective: Hamas is part of Iran’s axis of evil, which aims to destroy us. And when we defeat Hamas, it is not only defeating Hamas – it is defeating the axis. Everyone in the Middle East and beyond is sitting in the stands and watching who will win on this field, Israel or Iran and its proxies. You already know who will win. Good luck!” . . . 

Al Goodwyn

Pete Buttigieg mercilessly trolled for saying he can 'safely walk my dog to the Capitol' WITH his bodyguards. . .

 

Pete Buttigieg mercilessly trolled for saying he can 'safely walk my dog to the Capitol' WITH his bodyguards in bid to dismiss surging crime in D.C. | Daily Mail Online 

•  Buttigieg faced the wrath of X users angry over him downplaying D.C. crime by saying he 'can safely walk my dog to the Capitol' a mile from his home
• An hour after his comments, a man was robbed and stabbed about a mile from the U.S. Capitol while walking his dog 
• READ: Outrage ensued after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said crime is down 30%

Buttigieg mocks crime concerns from his personal security bubble - Washington Examiner     . . ."None of that is going to affect Buttigieg, though, because your taxpayer dollars go to pay for his security. He can then walk his dog up and down the street without worrying about the violent crime that is getting normal people beaten or killed. Even members of Congress can’t avoid the violence that Washington, D.C., has courted, but Buttigieg can. So he gets to sit on an MSNBC set alongside a former Biden team member turned “journalist” in Jen Psaki and dismiss crime as just some narrative from “ideological news outlets” amid Washington, D.C.’s worst violence since the 1990s." . . .

D.C. Is Safe: Buttigieg Can Walk His Dog – PJ Media

. . . "My point is that if crime has not touched you or your family, it will soon. This is the world we live in thanks to progressives, who will never have to look over their shoulders." . . . 

Speaking of Trump comparisons, Pete, there is this:   Price of a Gallon of Gas Today is DOUBLE What It was 4 Years Ago Under Trump – IOTW Report   AJ Posted Wednesday10 APRIL 2024, 9:50 AT 9:50 AM

At Safeway today a bag of regular size Doritos are $6.29!
Last bag of those I bought they were $2.50.
I can do without Doritos, have for a long time. But fuel is another situation. 

This RedState page is full of Bidenisms

Joe Biden's Narcissism Devolves Into Sociopathy at Baltimore Bridge Collapse Site   

Couple that self-centered inauthenticity with his senility, and you get what you got in Baltimore. It's a national embarrassment.

Biden opens his remarks in Baltimore:

"By the way, folks, I say to my dad, 'Dad, they're mispronouncing Baltmur.' The Biden family goes all the way back to being watermen in this bay for a long, long time, back in the mid-1800s..." pic.twitter.com/GIfwzpp8yh

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 5, 2024

. . ."As the president's public appearances go, his latest was typical. Biden slurred his words and got confused multiple times, both things that seem to occur every time he gives a speech. If he ever figures out how to exit a stage, it'll be the first time in a long time. 

"There was one moment that caught my eye, though, because it exposed something deeper than the president's general senility and lack of timing. . . .

It's completely tone-deaf to show up at the site of a tragedy and start telling dumb, self-centered jokes. Biden does it because it's all he can do. This is who he is. He's a narcissist and a sociopath, unable to produce real empathy. It's why he always comes across as completely unhinged when he attempts to feign righteous anger about a situation that doesn't center on him. Biden doesn't really care. He just knows he's supposed to act like he cares.

 Cringe: Biden Tells Another Tall Tale at Greek Event and Comes Up With 'New' Name for Himself

Looks Like One of Biden's Tall Tales About His Background Just Got Called Out...by Joe Biden

Biden Starts Yapping at the Teleprompter Guy During Confused and Embarrassing Speech

. . ."On Thursday, Biden held a reception celebrating Greek Independence Day. We touched on some of it earlier with his battle over the teleprompter. You know that any time he has such an event, he's going to break out what a relationship he has with the audience, like clockwork. It doesn't matter. I think if it were a Samoan group, he'd probably make something up about his island heritage. So let's hear Joe Biden -- the guy who spent all his time after school going to Catholic mass at the black church and also supposedly spent time at the Jewish synagogue -- tell us about his "close relationship" with the Greek community and their church. However did he find the time while juggling all those church/synagogue schedules?" . . . 

Peter Doocy asks Kirby all the right questions after Biden's Israel ultimatum: 'They cannot be true!'

  Blaze Media (theblaze.com)

"How is it unwavering? It sounds like you guys are trying to have it both ways here," Doocy pointed out before summarizing what Kirby had said: "'We support Israel, but we are going to make all these changes because we don't support Israel.'"

"Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy is holding the Biden administration's feet to the fire.

"On Thursday, President Joe Biden threatened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with policy changes if Israel does not implement "specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers," according to a readout of Biden's call with Netanyahu. Biden, moreover, emphasized the need for an "immediate ceasefire" and told Netanyahu "to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home."

"The readout is surely meant to signal to Biden's left flank that he is dealing with Netanyahu more shrewdly. Progressives, after all, are angry with Biden's position on Israel, and Democratic strategists fear it could cost him re-election.

"On the other hand, the Biden administration is still sending munitions to Israel to support their war with Hamas — though the administration is not bringing public attention to those decisions.

"So what gives? Is Biden playing both sides? That is the answer Doocy sought to extract from Kirby.

" 'On Oct. 7, President Biden said, 'My administration's support for Israel is rock solid and unwavering.' That is not true anymore, correct?" Doocy confronted.

" 'No, it is true," Kirby claimed.

" 'How is his support unwavering, but you're also reconsidering policy choices?" the Fox News reporter followed up, referring to readout.

" 'Both can be true," Kirby alleged.

" 'They cannot be true! They're completely different things," Doocy fact checked. "He is wavering. How is he not wavering?' " . . .

Biden's foreign policy errors:

MAGA Joe.

2021; 5 Early Unforced Joe Biden Foreign Policy Errors | The Heritage Foundation  . . ."After all, Biden doesn’t have much to brag about on the foreign relations front. Indeed, in his first week in the Oval Office, the president seemed determined to elevate partisan politics over good policy. Here are five frustrating moves he has made that delight the radical left but bode ill for American prosperity and security." . . .

Biden's Afghanistan Decision Is the Latest Entry in a Ledger of Mistakes - The Atlantic  . . ."But he could just as easily have said the same about his decision this year to end the American presence in Afghanistan, a catastrophic mistake that has led to a Taliban takeover, undermined our national interest, and morally stained Biden’s presidency." . . .

Why foreign policy is no longer in President Biden’s ‘win’ column - CSMonitor.com  . . ."What Americans do see, Mr. Korb says, is the effects of a crisis on their southern border, where thousands of migrants – from Latin America, but as far away as Africa and China – continue to enter the country illegally. 

“ 'Seeing all these migrants from all over being bused into their cities, people can relate to that,” he says." . . .

Biden’s Foreign Policy Is a Mess | Foreign Affairs  Pay wall issues here.

More here on this topic.

Americans differ on Ukraine and Gaza

 Victor Davis Hanson (jewishworldreview.com)

. . ."Yet more pro-Ukrainian Democrats are turning away from Israel as it dismantles Gaza in the messy, bloody slog against Hamas. The left claims either Israel cannot or should not defeat Hamas, or at least at the present cost. So the left pushes Israel to a cease-fire with Hamas." . . .

. . ."What are we to conclude about these contradictory wars and American attitudes toward them?

"The more democratic and defensive the power, the more Americans support it—but only up to a point.

"Even more, they demand quick victory—and lose interest when the wars stagnate, costs increase and protests grow.

"When Ukraine and Israel began costly counteroffensives, the former losing thousands and the latter killing thousands, the American public began to be less invested in either war.

"Final lessons?

"Israel should do all it can to destroy Hamas as quickly as possible and end the war.

"Ukraine does not have the wherewithal to defeat Russia. It should cease costly offensives against Russia's fortified lines and seek to negotiate.

"Or, put another way, fickle Americans sympathize with those who are attacked. But their continuing support seems contingent on whether the victim can remain sympathetic—and win decisively to end the war rapidly."