As the coalition moves to radically constrain the top court’s capacity to thwart legislation and decisions it considers undemocratic, here’s a look at some of its key interventions

By JEREMY SHARON, TOI      30 January 2023,

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) with Supreme Court President Justice Esther Hayut at a memorial service marking 22 years since the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin held at Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem, November 1, 2017. (Marc Israel Sellem/POOL)

The government’s proposals to radically overhaul the legal and judicial system have generated intense political tensions and a fervid opposition movement since they were announced earlier this month.

Among the most controversial aspects of the proposals are amendments to the Basic Law: Judiciary that would severely limit the High Court of Justice’s power of judicial review over legislation, and allow the Knesset to re-legislate laws if the court strikes them down.

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The Russia-Iran axis may prompt the West to see Israel with new eyes

By EUREPORTER

But something else is happening that may work in Israel’s favor, and indeed in favor of all those around the world who oppose terrorism and the Iranian regime that sponsors it: The Iranians have made what may be a fatal mistake. They have openly joined forces with Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war on Ukraine, providing him with military equipment such as drones.

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The Caroline Glick Show

Here is a superb insight, thanks to scholar and journalist David Collier, into the grim reality of dhimmitude in Islamic lands.

The subordinate status of Jews and other “people of the book” in Sharia states is based on the Qur’an: “Fight against those do not believe in Allah or the last day, and do not forbid what Allah and his messenger have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth, even if they are among the people of the book, until they pay the jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.” (9:29)

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In a trailblazing decision less than a week ago, Trudeau announced new “special representative to combat ‘Islamophobia,’” Amira Elghawaby. Her office will have a budget of $5,6000,000, according to spokesperson from the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Ahmed Hussen. Trudeau said in a statement: “No one in our country should experience hatred because of their faith,” yet his statement refers only to “Islamophobia,” when it should include all faiths.

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T. Belman. I drew the same conclusion yesterday “What’s in it for the US or the EU for that matter? Russia is no threat to them. The only reason they are doubling down is because they want to destroy Russia which has been their goal since the fall of the USSR.”

By Nan Jacques Zilberdik, PMW   | Jan 31, 2023

The military wing of Abbas’ Fatah Movement, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, announces “an open war”:

• “We will continue the resistance, we will continue our heroic operations (i.e., terror attacks), until removing the occupier from our land. This is an open war, and tomorrow Tel Aviv will declare mourning”
• “We the brigades… announce the escalation of the military activity… This is a comprehensive and open war”
• “We swear that we will make the Zionist enemy and its flocks live in fear… we will turn wherever they are into a fiery hell”
• Read more…

T. Belman. Lapid seems to think that because the US gives us so much money, they have a right to tell us how to run our country. i.e., that we are bought and paid for.  What’s that got to do with democracy?  Nothing.

Blinken said, “we have shared values and shared interests”.  He is wrong on both accounts. The last thing Israelis want to do is emulate America, or create a Palestinian state.

It is America that has a democratic deficiency, not Israel. The pot is calling the kettle, black 

Religious Zionism’s Strock says democracy about majority rule, not ‘foreign involvement,’ as visiting US secretary of state raises concerns about Israel’s path in meeting with PM

By TOI STAFF      Today, 11:06 am

MK Orit Strock speaks during a visit of Religious Zionism party members in Netiv Haavot neighborhood in Gush Etzion, West Bank, on October 26, 2022. (Gershon Elinson/Flash90)

Far-right National Missions Minister Orit Strock criticized US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, a day after he signaled that the White House is clearly concerned over initiatives by Israel’s new hardline government.

“Dear Mr. Blinken, I understand that you decided to give our prime minister a lesson in democracy,” the Religious Zionism lawmaker tweeted.

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SEE ALSO: Iran, Russia Link Banking Systems Amid Western Sanction

by Judith Bergman, GATESTONE  •  January 31, 2023

Firefighters in Kyiv, Ukraine try to put out a fire in a four-story residential building, in which three people were killed when it was hit by a “kamikaze drone” (many of which are supplied to Russian forces by Iran), on October 17, 2022. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

• Iran is now selling surface-to-surface missiles to Russia for use in its war on Ukraine — on the cusp of a reported “major Ukrainian offensive” — in addition to the drones it has already been delivering, two senior Iranian officials and two Iranian diplomats told Reuters.

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The Supreme Court should not have a veto over Israeli security and counterterrorism policies, let alone other professional decisions.

By Alex Nachumson, INN    30.1.23

(JNS) The American Declaration of Independence famously guarantees the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Over the last 250 years, people have tended to focus on “liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” but it is no coincidence that the phrase begins with the right to life.

The right to life is and should be paramount over all other considerations, because it is the basis of existence. In the current debate over potential reforms to Israel’s judicial system, this element has been glaringly absent.

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T. Belman. Could it be that the malaise in Europe which is leading to the destruction of its culture and identity, is a result of Europe’s failed attempt to destroy the Jews.  Instead of replacing us  as its replacement theology willed, the end result is that the Jews have survived and prospered. The Church it appears has nothing more to live for.

In 2020, Orthodox Israeli women had an average of 6.64 children, “traditional” an average of 3.92 and secular an average of 1.96. 

By Giulio Meotti, INN

Throughout the West, from foolish America to senescent Europe, the two pillars that have always supported civilizations are collapsing: faith and fertility, the fact of believing in something rather than nothing and of having a sufficient number of children to keep the civilization alive.

• Eric Kaufman wrote a great book about it, “Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?”.
• “Italy is dying,” Elon Musk wrote about demographic collapse.
• Michel Houellebecq denounces a “Western demographic suicide”.

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MARK LEVIN INTERVIEWS EUGENE KONTOROVICH

by Victor Rosenthal   January 31, 2023 

It has been this way since our ancestors started walking upright, maybe before that. Two tribes struggle over a piece of land. One will prevail and the other will be defeated. One will remain in the land and the other will not. The loser will be destroyed, expelled, dispersed, or absorbed. Usually, the loser of such a conflict disappears from history.

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T. Belman,  What’s in it for the US or the EU for that matter? Russia is no threat to them. The only reason they are doubling down is because they want to destroy Russia which has been their goal since the fall of the USSR.

Russia isn’t the imperialist here, the US is.

REDACTED WITH Clayton Morris:

The west’s liberal hypocrites have Jewish blood on their hands

By MELANIE PHILLIPS

Jubilant Palestinian Arabs celebrate their latest murder of Israeli Jews

Seven Israeli Jews were murdered outside a Jerusalem synagogue on Friday night, the start of the Jewish sabbath, in the working class orthodox neighbourhood of Neve Ya’akov. Several others who were wounded remain in hospital.

As is commonplace among Palestinian Arabs after they have murdered Israeli civilians, jubilant celebrations broke out in their communities with fireworks, celebratory gunfire, hooting car-horns and crowds chanting in support of the killing of Jews.

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First.One.Through Jan 30,2023

The Arab-Israeli conflict gets so much ink and analysis because the region is always in flux.

Yet some things remain constant.

The Israelis and Palestinian Arabs poll themselves frequently about sentiments on a variety of topics. Occasionally, they conduct joint polls as occurred on January 24, 2023. The Palestinian Center of Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) and Tel Aviv University’s International MA Program in Conflict Resolution and Mediation (Israeli Pulse) issued their report as Palestinians and Israelis engaged in a series of attacks. The joint poll is another tool to assess how Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs and Palestinian Arabs (there are no Palestinian Jews anymore, as Palestinians exclude Jews from the definition) consider different aspects of living together, and how trends in such attitudes change.

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By David Levy, BESA

BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 2,176, January 30, 2023

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Washington will likely call upon Israel to participate in future multinational coalitions, which will entail IDF forces deploying to foreign countries as part of US-led operations. Israel has not participated in past coalitions due to regional threats and Washington’s desire to avoid complications with allied majority Muslim states. These two concerns were significantly diminished by the Abraham Accords, increasing the likelihood that Washington will seek Israel’s direct support in future campaigns.

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AMERICANS FOR PEACE AND TOLERENCE

Under its current leader, Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADL has, among many other things:

• Enthusiastically accepted a non-apology from arch Jew-hater Ilhan Omar for saying that “Israel has hypnotized the world.”

• Declared that the BDS movement is not necessarily anti-Semitic.
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T. Belman. “peace through strength” and “calm through force”. The end of appeasement is over, I hope. Terrorism is fueled by hope.  All hope for a TSS or for the destruction of Israel, must be dashed. Obviously the US and the EU by pushing for the TSS are fueling terrorism.

IDF to deploy 2 companies to help cops in capital, West Bank barrier area; Shin Bet chief said to warn against sealing off E. Jerusalem neighborhoods, as Smotrich, Ben Gvir sought

By EMANUEL FABIAN, TOI       29 January 2023, 8:40 pm

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks to reporters after an assessment at the IDF’s West Bank headquarters, January 29, 2023. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)

BEIT EL, West Bank — Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday that Israel was seeking calm, but would not hesitate to act against terror, as tensions remained high following a series of Palestinian attacks.

Speaking after an assessment at the military’s West Bank headquarters, Gallant said Israel “will act decisively and forcefully against anyone who threatens our citizens… Every terrorist will either go to court or the cemetery.

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