RUTHFULLY YOURS

https://mosaicmagazine.com/observation/israel-zionism/2020/08/the-jews-right-to-s

Is it possible to justify the existence of a Jewish state? So asked the late Ruth Gavison back in 2003, and her answer resounds as strongly now as it did then.

This essay by the renowned Israeli legal theorist Ruth Gavison was originally published in the Israeli journal Azure in 2003. We are republishing it August 18, 2020 in the wake of her death on August 15.

I.

Is it possible to justify the existence of a Jewish state? This question, raised with increased frequency in recent years, is not just a theoretical one. Israel will endure as a Jewish state only if it can be defended, in both the physical and the moral sense. Of course, states may survive in the short term through sheer habit or the application of brute force, even when their legitimacy has been severely undermined. In the long run, however, only a state whose existence is justified by its citizens can hope to endure. The ability to provide a clear rationale for a Jewish state is, therefore, of vital importance to Israel’s long-term survival.1

Over the many years in which I have participated in debates about Israel’s constitutional foundations and the rights of its citizens, I did not generally feel this question to be particularly urgent. Indeed, I believed that there was no more need to demonstrate the legitimacy of a Jewish state than there was for any other nation state, and I did not take claims to the contrary very seriously. Those who denied the legitimacy of Israel as a Jewish state were, in my eyes, little different from the radical ideologues who dismiss all national movements as inherently immoral, or who insist that Judaism is solely a religion with no right to national self-expression; their claims seemed marginal and unworthy of systematic refutation.

https://www.jns.org/opinion/netanyahus-bold-move/

he Israeli right is wrong to see the prime minister’s deal with the UAE as a capitulation to foreign pressure. He is creating optimal conditions for the Jewish state’s road ahead.

Anyone wondering what had become of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ostensible July 1 target date to begin the process of extending sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria received an answer last Thursday.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on Aug. 13 that Washington had brokered a peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates—and accompanying reports that the deal precluded “annexation of the West Bank”—put the question to rest.

Once it emerged that Netanyahu had been busy for the past few weeks negotiating the terms of the treaty with Trump and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his sudden silence on sovereignty became clear. Ironically, the weekly protests outside of the Israeli premier’s official residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem included the chanting of slogans and waving of banners decrying his “annexation” plans.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/285388

The Arabs have finally learned the secret: say nice words to the Jews and they will fall over themselves to give away their own heritage.

There would be nothing more wondrous than true peace by an Arab state with Israel. What you will read below, however, is why my growing suspicion and fear about this peace with an Arab state was immediately confirmed when I realized that this “breakthrough” was not anything to be congratulated, but rather to be criticized.

Jared Kushner may have wrought the means by which an eventual Palestinian terror state will be carved out of the heart of Judea and Samaria. This is a catastrophic and blatant denial of Jewish sovereignty within its Biblical and ancestral heartland.

Note that Mohammed bin Zayed uses the word, “annexation” and describes the ancestral Jewish heartland as “Palestinian territories.” A native people, the Jews, do not annex what is their own historical, Biblical and spiritual land. Nor is this Palestinian territory, for there has never existed a Palestinian state and there has never been a separate Palestinian Arab people throughout all of history.

All of Judea and Samaria is the ancestral and Biblical Jewish heartland, and restoration of Jewish villages and towns in the historical, spiritual heartland is not “annexation” but liberation and redemption.

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/08/uae-deal-shows-middle-east-peace-doesnt-depend-daniel-greenfield/

The big lie that peace in the region could only come from a ‘Palestinian’ state was a scam that diplomats, leaders, and experts bought into and on which they built our relationship with Israel.

The agreement between the UAE and Israel showed that the experts were once again wrong.

We were told for generations that the region was one more negotiating session between whichever Islamic terrorist leader was running things in Ramallah and whichever Israeli prime minister had cobbled together a democratic coalition in Jerusalem away from peace.

The big lie died with a single Trump tweet announcing the deal between Israel and the UAE.

The generals, the diplomats, the pundits, and the professors, some of whom had really been working for Islamic oil states all along, had sold America and the world a big lie.

The big lie depended on a myth that was part antisemitic and part philosemitic, by turns orientalist and anti-imperialist, that everything in the region revolved around Israel. All it took to puncture that myth was the Iraq War, and the rise of Iran, the Muslim Brotherhood, and ISIS.

http://q4j-middle-east.com     

Let’s start with opening the following link and taking a good look at the name on the missiles in the picture: https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/hamas-launches-missiles-towards-the-sea-in-warning-to-israel-638088. Please note that those fired recently were most likely advanced versions of these older Qassams.  

In the article, Hamas complains about being blockaded–but never mentions (of course) why that’s so.  

Ships from Iran have repeatedly been intercepted carrying advanced missiles, mortars, and other weaponry to Hamas and Islamic Jihad to attack Israel and kill Jews from Gaza with. This does not include the hundreds of thousands of more advanced weapons that Iran has supplied to Hizbullah in Lebanon with, just across Israel’s northern border. 

That’s not exactly what Israel had in mind when it unilaterally uprooted thousands of Jews–who also have history in Gaza–in 2005 for the sake of peace…land that has been used since the days of the Pharaohs to attack Israel from. 

Ever since Israel withdrew from Gaza in August 2005, adjacent towns in Israel proper have come under repeated attack. Qassam/Kassam rockets have been frequently fired into communities such as Sderot and Ashkelon, deliberately aimed at terrorizing civilians. Highly destructive incendiary kites and balloons—also aiming to kill Jews, slaughter domestic animals and wildlife, property, and burn land–have been added to that mix. 

While Israel tries its best to carefully target those responsible for such attacks, the Arab targets of choice are usually the most innocent.  

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16358/israel-uae-deal-peace

The United Arab Emirates will derive many benefits from closer relationships with the Middle East’s most stable and advanced county. These include economic and technological partnerships, military and intelligence sharing, mutual tourism and better relationships with the US and much of the rest of the world.

The deal also demonstrates how quickly changes occur in this volatile part of the globe. It was only a few decades ago when Israel’s strongest allies were Iran and Turkey, and its most intractable enemies were Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf states. Now the reverse is true. The only constant constructive element in the region is a democratic Israel, with its close ties to the United States.

The other constant — but a destructive one— has been the Palestinian leadership. They constantly say no to everything that involves normalization with Israel. This stance goes back to the 1930s when they rejected the Peel Commission recommendation that would have given them a state in the vast majority of the British Mandate. But because it would also have given the Jews a tiny, non-contiguous state, the Palestinians said no. They wanted there not to be a Jewish state more than they wanted there to be a Palestinian state. This naysaying… continues today with their refusal even to negotiate over the Trump peace plan.

The agreement by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to normalize relations with Israel bodes well for the future of Israel and the dangerous region in which it lives. It was not the first such agreement — there were peace treaties with Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994) — but it will probably not be the last. It is likely, though not certain, that other Gulf nations may follow. Even the president of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, has “hinted at the possibility of peace talks with Israel.” In any event, he has not precluded eventually joining other Arab countries in normalizing relations with Israel.

Although the Palestinian leadership opposed the deal — it always opposes everything — it too may benefit from it. The UAE will press for a two-state solution and its voice will be more influential both in the United States and in Israel. A two-state solution that assures Israel’s security would require a demilitarized Palestine with an Israeli military presence in the Jordan Valley and territorial swaps that keep the current settlement blocks as part of Israel. This would allow for a contiguous, viable Palestinian state that could thrive if it maintained peace with Israel. The Palestinians could secure such a state if they agree to negotiate with Israel over the current Trump plan that is now on the table.

http://www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com

Nothing can top the announcement of the forthcoming establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. And it is possible that there could be similar news from other Arab countries in the near future.

In comparison, some “merely” exceptional Israeli news items include the installation of an Israeli aircraft safety system at Qatar’s Hamad International Airport;  an Israeli hospital performing Phase 3 testing of the Russian Covid-19 vaccine; 3 new Israeli irrigation projects in India; Israeli electric vehicle charging systems for Europe and another major boost for Israel’s prospects in the Tour de France. Michael Ordman

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
 
Covid-19 passive vaccine cures 3 Israelis. Three of the first critical Covid-19 patients treated with the new IgG plasma-derived “passive vaccine” product developed by Israel’s Kamada and Hadassah Medical Center (reported here previously), have made a rapid recovery and have now been discharged from Hadassah hospital.
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/first-3-israelis-treated-with-new-passive-vaccine-recover-leave-hospital-638431
 
Pluristem’s Covid-19 Phase 2 Germany trial. Israel’s Pluristem Therapeutics (reported here previously) has been approved by German’s health regulatory authority to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial of its PLX PAD stem cells on 40 serious Covid-19 patients. Pluristem is already conducting a 140-patient Phase 2 trial in the US.
https://www.pluristem.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/PEI-Clearance-to-Commence-Phase-II-Study-in-Germany-FINAL-FOR-RELEASE.pdf
 
Previous TB vaccinations help young Covid-19 patients. Researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion and Hebrew Universities have found that vaccinations given against Tuberculosis (BCGs) in the last 15 years reduced death rates and infection rates in COVID-19 patients under 24 years of age. Data from 55 countries was analyzed.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-corona-discovery-tuberculosis-shots-could-help-fight-covid-19/
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/3/378
 
Hadassah tests Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine. Professor Zeev Rotstein, CEO of Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center, has revealed that its clinic in Skolkovo, Moscow is involved in clinical safety trials of the new Russian Covid-19 vaccine. Phase 3 trials are still ongoing, even while Russia’s President Putin inoculated his family.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-hadassah-says-its-involved-in-development-of-russian-covid-19-vaccine/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfDMrlsQJl8
 
The Israeli at Moderna’s vaccine project. This 30-minute video features Israel’s Dr. Tal Zaks – chief medical officer of Moderna, a front-runner in the race for a COVID-19 vaccine. He summarizes the progress of the latest trial, and how his education at BGU’s Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School shaped his career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhn_MX7XhUE
 
Approval to test treatment for advanced cancer. Israel’s KAHR Medical has received US FDA approval to begin Phase 1 & 2 clinical (human) trials of its DSP107 treatment of advanced solid tumors (reported here previously). The trials will assess DSP107 both by itself and in combination with Roche’s atezolizumab.
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/fda-gives-jerusalem-based-company-go-ahead-to-start-cancer-drug-trials-638355   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2NLNV3CB2U  https://kahr-medical.com/technology/pipeline/
 
Stress relief pre surgery reduces metastatic risk. Tel Aviv University researchers reduced secondary cancer following colorectal tumor removal. Deralin and Etopan were given before and after surgery. 3 years later the cancer had spread significantly less than in a control group. Now pancreatic cancer patients will be tested.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-08/afot-tau080720.php (latest trial)
https://english.m.tau.ac.il/news/cancer-stress (2017 trial on breast cancer patients)
 
Moses 2.0 launched. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel-headquartered Lumenis (reported here previously) has launched a superior version 2.0 of its Moses platform for minimal and non-invasive laser removal of urinary (bladder) stones and other stones.  https://lumenis.com/medical/holmium-products/lumenis-moses-pulse-120h/
https://lumenis.com/medical/specialties/urology/resource-hub/lumenis-launches-next-generation-moses-2-0-holmium-laser-technology/   
 
Home ultrasound for pregnant Israelis. Israeli healthcare provider Clalit, with 4.6 million Israeli members, has authorized the use of the PulseNmore home ultrasound device (see here) for expectant mothers. It will reduce numbers of unnecessary hospital visits (average two per pregnancy) during the Covid-19 pandemic.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/clalit-to-offer-pregnant-members-startup-pulsenmores-at-home-ultrasound-kit/   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLskCQS79P4
 
From drip irrigation to diagnosing diseases. Kibbutz Hatzerim is famous for founding drip-irrigation innovator Netafim. It has now co-founded Picodya – developer of the B-Matrix in vitro diagnostics (IVD) platform. B-Matrix gives 15-30min test results for cancer, cardiac dysfunction and viruses (including Covid).
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3844490,00.html   https://picodya.com/
https://picodya.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/PicodyaBMatrixTechnology.mp4
 
Signs of the times. The vital signs monitoring tool from Israel’s Binah.ai (reported here previously) is to be used by 4 Japanese companies. NTT Data – Health Data Bank; Alm’s MySOS – emergencies & new Covid-19 cases; Macnica Networks – monitoring Covid-19 re-infections; SOMPO – insurance policyholder checkups.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3844709,00.html
 
Canon partners Zebra. Israel’s Zebra Medical Vision (reported here previously) has partnered with American radiology system distributor, Canon Medical Systems USA (part of the Canon empire). Zebra’s disease analysis platform will be made available to many more locations across the United States.
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3844686,00.html
https://us.medical.canon/news/press-releases/2020/08/11/3390/