More on the hostages
It would be nice to have a translation for this. But some things are easy to understand even without one: On the other hand, Hamas has finally given Israel a list of who is alive and who is dead in … Continue reading →
Category Archives: War and Peace
Freeing the captive: four more hostages are back in Israel
I almost wrote “safe and sound” – but of course, no one in Israel is all that safe as long as the Palestinians are unpacified and Iran is functioning under a vicious theocracy pledged to Israel’s (and the West’s) destruction. … Continue reading →
What we know about a possible hostage deal
I consider it all rumor until it happens, if it happens – and one of the many things we don’t know is whether it will actually happen. But here are some of my thoughts on the matter. Because it has … Continue reading →
Hostage deal rumors
It’s now a week till Trump’s Inauguration Day – which is also Martin Luther King Day, by the way – and once again there are rumors that a hostage deal is nigh. We’ve heard such rumors before. Are they real … Continue reading →
Two excellent and informative videos about Israel’s wars
If you’ve got the time, these two videos are rewarding. I ordinarily listen to these sorts of “talking heads” videos at a faster than normal speed. The first is a Caroline Glick interview on the topic of Lebanon and the … Continue reading →
Another F-you from the departing Biden administration
It worked so very well for Obama: When President Barack Obama released five Taliban commanders from the Guantanamo Bay prison in exchange for an American deserter in 2014, he assured a wary public that the dangerous enemy combatants would be … Continue reading →
Hamas won’t give Israel a list of living hostages
You would think it was the very least Hamas could do: provide a list of living hostages who might be freed in any deal with Israel. But apparently even that is too much, according to Hamas: On Wednesday, Israeli officials … Continue reading →
Happy Chanukah, and some reflections
[NOTE: This is a slightly edited version of a previous post.] This is the second night of Chanukah, and I wish everyone a happy one. Chanukah is about a successful revolt and a miracle of light: The miracle of the … Continue reading →
Is a hostage release plan actually in the works?
It’s been about fourteen and a half months since the Israeli hostages were taken to Gaza. It has been a nightmare for their families and friends, and although there is probably some comfort in the fact that the war has … Continue reading →
Hostage release negotiations – looking up?
Israel may be getting a big Chanukah present – and more than eight of them. There’s room for very cautious optimism: “We are the closest to a hostage deal since the last one,” Defense Minister Israel Katz told the Knesset … Continue reading →
Syria: Iran’s loss is whose gain?
We certainly don’t know who the ultimate winner in Syria will be. But I think we can safely say a couple of things. The first is that the situation is fraught with peril. The second is that Iran looks like … Continue reading →
Caroline Glick on what’s going on in Syria
No one really knows what will happen now in Syria. The Assad family has been in charge for over a half century, and now they’re gone. Some of the forces – maybe all of the forces? – vying for post-Assad … Continue reading →