Op-ed: 

A Red Line Crossed, Consequences To Pay

By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots / Right Side Patriots Radio

As the drums of coming war beat louder by the day, violence between Israel and Hamas grows more intense as Hamas keeps firing rockets into Israel leading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to state that Hamas "crossed a red line" when they launched missiles towards Jerusalem and that the fighting could “continue for some time.”

And Hamas' response to Netanyahu was that they would continue their rocket attacks until Israel stops “all scenes of terrorism and aggression in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque.” Guess Hamas remains ignorant to Israel's military power.

So while altercations between the Israeli military and U.S. designated terrorist group Hamas have become somewhat the new norm, this latest round of altercations are anything but the norm what with Hamas' rockets now, as I write this, still being fired into Israel. But they're not being fired into the usual less populated areas in Israel's south but into Jerusalem proper as well as into Tel Aviv, resulting in Israelis having to run to bomb shelters and forcing the shutting down of Ben Gurion International Airport. 

 

And Israel's response to the now largest Palestinian escalation since 2014, was to see the Israeli army launch not only airstrikes into Hamas' military installations...airstrikes that killed several Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist commanders... commanders who cowardly use children as human shields...but also to formulate a “broad military campaign” which includes the massing of tanks and troops along the Gaza border as well as destroying a network of Hamas tunnels dubbed “the metro” ...tunnel's used to transport both equipment and Hamas terrorists.

An Israeli response to what should be a well justified and long overdue invasion of Gaza perhaps...an invasion that should, but probably won't, have U.S. support. More on that in a bit.

But what exactly reigniting this latest round of tension? It started on two fronts with the first being a mere warning issued by Hamas leaders that it would “wreak havoc” if the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs the West Bank, canceled what was to be this month's parliamentary election...the first such election since 2006. And with aging PA President Mahmoud Abbas fearing a loss to Hamas after polls showed Hamas steadily gaining public favor, Abbas took it upon himself to indefinitely postpone the vote which made Hamas, to say the least, very unhappy.

And this comes in addition to unrest in Jerusalem itself courtesy of a court case involving land ownership and the “potential eviction” of several Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem...land reclaimed by Jewish settlers after the '67 Yom Kippur War. This led to violent altercations between Palestinians, Hamas militants and mobs, and Israeli security forces, as both Jews and Israeli Arabs, their businesses, homes, and houses of worship, became targets of mob violence. And this Netanyahu declared to be a “more dangerous threat than the rockets from Gaza.”

And the altercations escalated during Ramadan, when Jerusalem police blocked Damascus Gate access to a plaza in Jerusalem's Old City, and then “cracked down” on not so peacefully protesting Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa mosque...the very mosque sitting upon grounds that are the most holy site for the world's Jews. Called the Temple Mount, it's where God's “divine presence” is proclaimed more than in any other place on Earth and where Jews turn to face when in prayer.

So while Hamas plays "protector" of Jerusalem, and while Jerusalem’s Old City remains under Israeli control, the Al-Asqa mosque itself is, since 1967, under the administration of the Jordanian and Palestinian-led Islamic Waqf. But the fact is it's the Jews who hold rightful claim to all of Jerusalem including the Al-Asqa mosque site as they not only reunified the city after the said Yom Kippur War, but were here first... many millennia before islam and its faux-god allah was invented by a man pretending to be a prophet.

But to Hamas and their fellow terrorist ilk the facts don't seem to matter for it's the Jewish people who remain their prime target with Israel herself the bullseye. And knowing this has lead Defense Minister Benny Gantz to order a "massive reinforcement" of security forces to suppress the ongoing internal unrest which has led to more than 400 people, to date, being arrested as they stoke the fires of an all-out internal civil war.

And that means possible trouble for those orbiting said bullseye...a bullseye which now includes numerous Gulf States with whom President Trump brokered peace with Israel...peace the Biden administration is now jeopardizing...Arab states which include the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco. Thankfully, though, the UAE has now officially come out and condemned Hamas and expressed its support for Israel with the others hopefully to follow.

And the Biden administration itself is under pressure here at home from Jew-hating Democrats like Ilhan Omar, Rashida Talib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and others, as well as from U.N. human rights advocates who demand he condemn Israel's “treatment” of the so-called Palestinians, especially “treatment” regarding its settlement polices they claim have “squeezed Palestinians' shrinking territory.” And this is never mind that it's Arab countries who have “squeezed” tiny Israel almost into the sea nor have they offered to give up any...even a minute portion...of their massive lands for a Palestinian homeland. Says a lot now doesn't it.

Also, the Democrat party itself is divided in its support of America's staunchest ally. In fact, Joe Biden, who recently withdrew 120 military personnel from Israel... personnel from Central and European Commands... warned Americans against traveling to the region, yet he still voiced support for Israel's right to defend herself nor, as I write this, has he criticized Israel for what the left says is “Israel's disproportional use of force.”

And Secretary of State Antony Blinken is playing both sides against each other. Stating that there are "fundamental differences between a terrorist organization, Hamas, that is indiscriminately raining down rockets - in fact, targeting civilians - and Israel's response defending itself, that is targeting the terrorists," words appearing on the surface to be a good thing, nevertheless words somewhat tainted as Blinken sent to the Middle East to “help calm things,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Hady Amr, an outward supporter of the Palestinian cause who stated in 2002 that, “I was inspired by the Palestinian intifada.” Inspired to do what I wonder.

But hell did freeze over a bit as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that, "Israel has the right to defend herself against this assault, which is designed to sow terror and undermine prospects for peace," in direct contrast to the ever vile a fore mentioned Ilhan Omar who stated that, "Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism. Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians. It’s unconscionable to not condemn these attacks on the week of Eid."

But what she should have said is not only how unconscionable it is to not condemn a terrorist organization whose deliberate acts of terrorism perpetrated on Israeli civilians started the march towards war during islam's holy week of Eid, but also how unconscionable it is not to condemn Hamas' deliberate instigation of clashes between protesters in Gaza and Jerusalem that are bringing even more trouble to the already volatile region.

And dare we forget disgrace to his Jewish heritage, socialist Bernie Sanders who tweeted that, "Once again we are seeing how the irresponsible actions of government-allied right-wing extremists in Jerusalem can escalate quickly into devastating war,” while making no mention of Hamas' violent actions.

And then there's vile Rasida Talib who can always be counted on to show her hatred for Israel, Jews, and for America. Addressing the House that, "We must, with no hesitation, demand that our country recognize the unconditional support of Israel has enabled the erasure of Palestinian life and the denial of the rights of millions of refugees," Talib placed blame directly on the U.S. for Hamas' actions. Thankfully, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, put this piece of traitorous garbage in her place by tweeting, “Congresswoman @RashidaTlaib maybe you should open your eyes to the whole picture? Islam’s 3rd holiest site is being used to stockpile Molotov cocktails and rocks that are being lobbed at the police and at Jewish worshippers praying at the Western Wall, below the Temple Mount.”

So well stated by Ambassador Erdan as is the fact that within the four short months since President Trump left office...the very president who not only moved our embassy to Jerusalem, declared that Jerusalem is forever the undivided capital of the Jewish State, and who brought peace between Israel and some of her Arab neighbors...now sees all his hard work basically being for naught for it took Iranian backed Hamas terrorists those same four months to start a new and even bloodier war...a war that will not end pretty for Hamas, its supporters, or for the Palestinian people.

And with no current end to the conflict in sight the build up to all out war continues on. In fact, last Saturday in a phone call to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Joe Biden reiterated his support for Israel's right to defend herself but caved to the Israel haters when he spoke to BiBi about his concerns regarding journalists’ safety as well. This was in response to Israeli forces leveling the building that housed the offices of major media outlets including the Associated Press and Al-Jazeera. And while the buildings occupants were given advance warning and time to evacuate before the building was hit by three Israeli heavy missiles, and while no major injuries or fatalities occurred Biden still said that Israel “must ensure the safety and security of journalists and the independent media,” while Al-Jazeera's director general Dr. Mostefa Souag, claimed Israel was trying to both silence journalists and hide “the untold carnage and suffering of the people of Gaza.”

But what's not being told is that the al-Jalaa Tower, the building in question, also was home to civilian residential apartments and to Hamas military intelligence agencies... agencies that Israeli officials said were using civilian occupants as “human shields.” In fact, Israel shared such intelligence with Biden and U.S. officials showing exactly how Hamas was operating inside said tower. And I, for one, believe the Israelis leaving me to wonder did the media outlets know or not know about these goings on, and if so why did they remain silent? This question needs to be answered but probably never will be.

So now we're into week two of the fighting and the violence continues on. And know that since last Monday 3,750+ Hamas fired rockets have reigned down on Israeli cities and not all, unfortunately, were intercepted by Israeli missile defenses. In fact, around 550 of those rockets actually fell into the Gaza Strip itself resulting in Hamas killing their own people.

“This is not over yet. We will do everything to restore security to our cities and our people,” So said Benjamin Netanyahu, and they were the words of a true statesman longing for peace.

But peace will be hard fought for how can there be peace when Biden admitted that the Abbas led Palestinian Authority continues to use monetary aid to reward terrorists... Hamas terrorists included...and that back in April, Biden gave $235 million in aid to the Palestinians. And this means that our taxpayer dollars are being used to help Hamas wage war against Israel...a sickening thought yet reality indeed.

And as international pressure builds to end the violence, especially when last weekend Israeli aircraft destroyed an underground Hamas military facility and inadvertently killed more than two dozen civilians, the fact is that when the enemy attacks Israel from civilian neighborhoods, from schools, homes, offices, and even from hospitals, what's called “collateral damage” is to be expected. Simply, if Hamas doesn't want “collateral damage” they shouldn't fire rockets into Israel...rockets intended to kill Israeli civilians... and world leaders should be condemning Hamas not Israel.

And also last weekend the UN Security Council met to discuss possible ways to diffuse the still today ongoing conflict, something they're really powerless to do. And while UN Secretary General Guterres voiced his fears that Israel and the Palestinians are headed for an “uncontainable crisis,” calls for a ceasefire grow. But it seems not to matter to most that on Monday, Hamas once again fired rocket barrages into southern Israeli cities with Israel rightfully launching dozens of retaliatory airstrikes strikes into Gaza. Then late Monday night it was reported that six Grad-type rockets were fired from the Shebaa Farms area in southern Lebanon towards Israel, but thankfully they fell short of their much intended destination with the IDF then responding with artillery fire. And with Lebanon being a Hezbollah stronghold know that more rockets are sure to come.

So while Joe Biden still voices his support for Israel's right to defend herself, just yesterday he once again caved to pressure from the left and in a phone call told Benjamin Netanyahu that he expects "a significant de-escalation today" as part of a move towards a potential cease-fire. Thankfully, Netanyahu wisely ruled out such an end to the hostilities until Hamas' military infrastructure is destroyed, after all Hamas is always the one who starts the salvos that are now leading up to all out war.

But know that if Donald Trump was still president none of this would be happening as Israel’s enemies knew well that America stood strong and united with Israel, and that reprisal would be fast coming if Israel were to be attacked. And as per President Trump's own words, “Strength and unity engenders respect,” but now with Israel's enemies having no respect for Joe Biden, his administration, nor the UN, one can sadly see why the situation today is spiraling out of control.

And the only way to permanently end this is to let Israel take out the “garbage” in Gaza then move on to Iran next for without Iran fueling, paying for, and profiting off all the hate this nonsense would indeed end.

Copyright © 2021 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All rights reserved.                                                        

*************************************************************************************                 For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andresen's blog The National Patriot to read his latest article, The Great Reparation Revelation.

 

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Tomorrow, Friday, May 21st, from 7 to 9pm EST, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss 'A Red Line Crossed, Consequences To Pay'; 'The Great Reparation Revelation'; and important news of the day.

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