DV Journal

On September 23, 14 days before the Hamas terror attacks on Israel, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, announced more funding for the United Nations Human Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA). The funding goes to Gaza and the West Bank. 

“I am proud to announce the United States is providing more than $73 million in additional funding to support UNRWA’s core and emergency services,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

After Hamas terrorists slaughtered more than 1,000 innocent Israelis, including 14 Israeli-Americans, on Oct. 7, the Israeli Defense Forces entered Gaza to save 200 hostages. Hamas held the hostages in underground tunnels. During the hostage recovery mission, IDF and Israeli intelligence found evidence that UNRWA personnel assisted Hamas in the Oct. 7 attacks.

In late January, Thomas-Greenfield announced the suspension of U.S. funds to UNRWA. She called for “fundamental change” in UNRWA. Change might include assurances by U.N. officials that UNRWA would discontinue using U.S. funds to massacre Israeli and American civilians.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination, withheld U.S. funding from UNRWA until Palestinians began peace negotiations with Israel. The negotiations did not happen. In his 2020 presidential campaign, Joe Biden promised to restore funding for UNRWA.

Based on UNRWA’s website, Biden has given more than $1 billion to the agency. Al Jazeera reported that the United States gave more than $400 million in 2023. Hamas used the money to buy military weapons, build secret tunnels, and plot with UNRWA officials to attack Israel, murder Israelis and Americans, undermine peace and security in the region, and interfere with U.S. foreign policy.

Biden and his administration say they were unaware of the UNRWA-Hamas terror connection. Now they know. Now America and the world know.

While the IDF seeks Israeli and American hostages in Gaza, it could find more evidence about UNRWA’s support for Hamas and, possibly, other terrorist groups. It is worthwhile that the IDF continue its mission in Gaza. It might find Hamas/UNRWA plans for future terror attacks. The IDF’s mission could help prevent more terror attacks and save innocent lives.

The role of UNRWA in the Oct. 7 terror attacks has caused some to question the U.S. role in the United Nations. Thomas-Greenfield is right that “fundamental change” is needed at UNRWA and the United Nations. U.N. personnel should be subject to thorough background investigations to determine if they have a connection with international terror groups. Congress should insist that Thomas-Greenfield take responsibility for the actions of all U.S. personnel found to be involved with terrorist organizations. Diplomats should not have immunity from prosecution for their involvement with terrorist groups.

It is a positive first step for Biden to cease U.S. funding for UNRWA. Some at the United Nations call this “immoral” due to the immense hardship on the Palestinians. It would be immoral for the Palestinians to continue suffering under the control of Hamas. It would be immoral for the United States to continue funding Hamas.

Biden should suspend all U.S. funding to UNRWA until Hamas releases all hostages, surrenders to the IDF, and Palestinians begin peace negotiations with Israel.

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Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks/Montgomery) sent this letter to his constituents on Friday:

Dear Friend,

I am sending you a special update on my recent trip to our allies Israel and Ukraine as they fight raging wars to defend their homeland and survive.

On my travels to Ukraine, I met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In our discussion, I promised I would do whatever necessary to pass our bipartisan bill providing urgently needed military aid to Ukraine and protecting democracy in the region.

As part of my briefings, I also received status updates on the war from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and intelligence officials. The briefings highlighted the need for additional military aid on the frontlines to protect Ukrainian borders against ruthless dictator Vladimir Putin.

Additional meetings included a discussion with U.S. Ambassador Brink on the role of the U.S. in the region, a visit to brave Ukrainian soldiers and veterans, and participation in a public lecture about U.S. support for Ukraine.

I then visited Israel where I received briefings on operations in Gaza and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the role of the U.S. in this war.

While in Israel, I also attended security briefings as part of my role on the Intelligence Committee. These meetings with Israeli defense and intelligence officials provided insights into addressing national security and intelligence-related matters in the region.

Hamas wants to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. Congress has a moral obligation to continue to provide defensive aid to our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East. The United States must never waver from supporting freedom and democracy throughout the world.

We have an obligation to assist our allies, especially when they come under assault by dictators, terrorists, and totalitarians. Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan are all freedom-loving democracies, they are our allies, and we must assist them in protecting their borders just as we must protect our own. I recently introduced the bipartisan Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act, which would provide critical defense aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as secure our southern border. Learn more about the bill here.

Sincerely,

Brian

A 70-29 majority in the U.S. Senate passed a $95 billion defense spending bill Tuesday that includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Nearly half the GOP caucus — 22 members — voted with nearly every Democrat. Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders opposed the bill, as did Democrats Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Peter Welch (Vt.).

Both Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman voted yes.

“This bipartisan bill sends a clear message to Ukrainians and our partners and our allies around the world: America can be trusted, America can be relied upon, and America stands up for freedom,” Casey said.

The bill now heads to the House, where it faces long odds and strong GOP opposition. But Ukrainian-Americans living in the Delaware Valley tell DVJournal they are hopeful the aid will reach their war-torn homeland.

“Providing Ukraine with the requisite military, economic, and humanitarian aid essential to defeating Moscow is in America’s best interest for several reasons,” said Eugene Luciw of Towamencin. The son of Ukrainian immigrants, he’s president of the Philadelphia branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

“First, it is morally correct for us to rescue the innocent people of Ukraine from the genocidal death and destruction that Putin is committing in their country that so desperately fights for its freedom, democracy, and territorial integrity.

“Second, Ukraine is not only defending its own country, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. It is also defending the Euro-Atlantic security dynamic and the people of the West.

“Aid to Ukraine will achieve a decisive victory for her. This, in turn, will produce a peace dividend. America will not have to send its young people to defend the West from an attack on our European allies that is sure to come if Russia defeats Ukraine. Nor will we need to expend any additional financial resources. By the same token, a restored Ukraine promises to be an economic powerhouse that will be a tremendous economic and military partner to the United States.”

Natalie A. Firko, president of the Ukrainian Educational & Cultural Center in Abington, said the U.S. has led the world since World War II ended.

“Unfortunately, this peace and prosperity was shattered when Russia, led by its terrorist leader Vladimir Putin, initiated a massive and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022,” she said. “Since then, Russia has continued its relentless destruction of Ukraine and genocidal murder of innocent civilians and children in the hopes of wiping Ukraine off the map and subjugating this democratic and sovereign nation again,” Firko said.

“However, with the strong leadership and support of the United States, the people of Ukraine have fought bravely against all odds to prevent Russia from succeeding. This strong support from the United States sent a powerful message to all ruthless dictators, like Putin, that unprovoked aggression of a sovereign country will not be allowed and will not succeed.

“Stopping support for Ukraine now will only embolden this ruthless terrorist to continue not only in his quest to take over and destroy Ukraine but also set his sights on invading and subjugating other neighboring countries as well. When that happens, history will repeat itself, just like in 1939, when another ruthless dictator invaded a sovereign country, and then another, and then another until a world war was needed to stop him in his ruthless quest,” Firko said.

“The United States needs to show leadership, now more than ever,” Firko added. “The world is watching to see what we do. Let us not repeat history.”

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester/Berks) signed a letter with other so-called “national security” Democrats, urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to quickly bring the Senate bill to a floor for a vote.

“This legislation is long overdue, and we applaud the Senate for its demonstration of unified American leadership to secure global and national security and peace,” they wrote.

“Our impact on the future of democracy has never been more clear. Ukraine now enters its third year of war with Russia with a depleted stockpile of weapons and necessary supplies, the threat of Hamas still looms large in Israel and Gaza, and China’s intentions within the Indo-Pacific region are of deep concern. The stakes of failing to enact this legislation now cannot be overstated. Therefore, we implore you to take up this legislation immediately.”

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On Tuesday, a $17.6 billion bill to help fund Israeli security failed in the U.S. House. Israel has been at war since the savage Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7 took the lives of some 1,200 people. Terrorists kidnapped another 240 people, including Americans, and are holding them hostage in Gaza.

Delaware Valley’s three congressional Democrats, Reps. Chrissy Houlahan, Madeleine Dean, and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Philadelphia/Delaware/Montgomery) voted against the bill. Local Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick voted for it.

The GOP-proposed legislation was a “clean” bill, not attached to any other issues like border security or aid to Ukraine.

In a Feb. 3 letter, House Speaker Michael Johnson (R-La.) said, “Given the Senate’s failure to move appropriate legislation in a timely fashion and the perilous circumstances currently facing Israel, the House will continue to lead. Next week, we will take up and pass a clean, standalone Israel supplemental package. During debate the House and the original House bill was with its offsets. The Senate will no longer have excuses, however misguided, against swift passage of this critical support for our ally.”

Although the vote was 250 to 180, two-thirds approval was needed for passage.

The Senate had formulated a bill that would have included $60 million for Ukraine and $20 million for the U.S. border, although not for items Republicans believe are needed, such as a border wall. Both Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman joined the majority of their fellow Democrats and backed the $118 billion package, but it failed a procedural vote (49-50)  on Wednesday.

President Biden had said he would have vetoed the House bill but would have signed the Senate bill had they reached his desk.

Delaware Valley Democrats who helped kill the aid to Israel bill went to great lengths to explain their votes.

“I have always supported Israel’s right to defend itself and will continue to vote accordingly,” said Houlahan. “But I cannot support a politically motivated piece of legislation that falls short on a host of related national security issues, including the needs of Ukraine, Taiwan, innocent Palestinians, and our southern border.”

Houlahan added, “Of course, this vote was not easy. I know Israel needs further support as they seek to root out Hamas’ entrenched control in Gaza. That’s why I’m hopeful that cooler, more bipartisan heads will prevail, and I will soon be able to vote on a supplemental package that supports our ally, Israel, as well as Ukraine, Taiwan, and the many community groups and law enforcement agencies along our southern border.”

Dean explained her no vote: “On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israeli civilians that killed more than 1,400 men, women, and children. In the wake of that horrifying attack, I have been unwavering in my belief that Israel has a right to exist, every hostage must be returned, and Hamas must be dislodged — without destroying innocent life.

“I have also repeatedly expressed my deep concern — for the men, women, and children in harm’s way, through no fault of their own, without adequate food, water, shelter, or medical supplies. This legislation contains no humanitarian aid for Gazans or Israelis.

“These grave circumstances demand serious action — but this bill, hastily introduced by House Republican leadership, is, unfortunately, not that. Instead of considering a bipartisan package addressing our border and immigration systems — in addition to our commitments to long-term peace in the Middle East — House Republicans are once again using Israel as a political cudgel,” Dean said.

Scanlon called the GOP bill “a cynical political maneuver.”

“Since the horrific Oct. 7 attack, I have stood with President Biden and House Democrats to strongly support Israel and secure the return of the hostages. Our commitment to Israel’s security and existence has not wavered, and we remain ready to support serious, bipartisan efforts that honor the special relationship between the United States and Israel. H.R. 7217 is neither serious nor bipartisan, having been crafted solely to sow political division and to block the bipartisan security supplemental negotiated by the Senate and the White House.

“America’s national security interests, and those of our close allies, should not be subject to partisan political games. H.R. 7217 is designed to politicize support for Israel while denying military aid to Ukraine and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and Gaza. It would undermine the longstanding, bipartisan support for Israel in Congress while harming both America’s and Israel’s national security. Congress must act now to support Israel, surge humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, support Ukraine against Russian aggression, tackle the challenges at the southern border, and strengthen our democratic allies in the Indo-Pacific,” Scanlon said.

Residents took to Facebook to react to this vote.

“These three need to be turned out and replaced by real American First candidates,” wrote Denise Myers.

And Vince Gambone said, “As usual, they’re following orders given by the DNC. Can’t remember any of them ever thinking for themselves.”

On the other hand, Rich Heiland said, “I am fine with her vote. The Republicans have sabotaged aid to Israel, Ukraine, and the border because of their obedience to Trump. Why should Chrissy play along with their politics? We should fund all those areas, as well as assist Palestinian victims in Gaza. We also should fund the border. But, as long as Trump is calling the shots, we won’t. As for the homeless in the U.S., Republicans won’t help them, either.”

And Teri Selleck Majewski added, “I think we need to worry about our homeless first before sending anything to other countries. Are any of them sending anything to us besides their citizens sneaking in?”

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President Joe Biden supports the mammoth $118 billion border and foreign aid deal released by the U.S. Senate Sunday night. And despite complaints from some progressives that it’s “a new version of a failed Trump-era immigration policy,” Delaware Valley Democrats say they’re on board, too.

“Now we’ve reached an agreement on a bipartisan national security deal that includes the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades. I strongly support it,” Biden said in a statement.

The bill, which approves $60 billion in aid for Ukraine and another $14 billion for Israel, is poised for its first vote in the Senate on Wednesday. On immigration, it would raise the standard for claiming asylum, end “catch and release,” and add money for 50,000 detention beds for migrants awaiting review.

It was negotiated by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.)

But in Pennsylvania, attitudes toward the legislation fall along partisan lines.

“The bipartisan bill released last night takes critical steps towards securing our border and stopping fentanyl while providing key assistance to Ukraine and Israel,” said Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) via social media. “It’s time to put politics aside and get this done.”

His likely Republican opponent, Dave McCormick, posted his opposition. “This is not a compromise; it’s a capitulation. This bill does not secure the border — it allows 4,000 migrants to cross illegally every. single. day.”

McCormick was referencing a provision in the legislation that mandates the Department of Homeland Security turn away all would-be migrants at the border if encounters reach a weekly average of 5,000 per day. The bill also grants the president the authority to invoke that measure at 4,000 encounters per day.

Like many of his fellow Republicans, McCormick argues there’s no reason to allow that level of undocumented migration — about 1.4 million per year — before shutting down the border.

“To protect Americans and fight the scourge of fentanyl, we need to CLOSE the border to illegal immigration. I oppose this deal,” McCormick wrote.

Progressive Sen. John Fetterman posted on social media that he had former Republican Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson as a professor.

“Back in 1998, Sen. Simpson said that we’ll never have any meaningful immigration legislation because it will forever be a useful political weapon. Here we are more than a quarter century later. I hope my Senate Republican colleagues don’t prove him right. Let’s PASS THIS BILL.”

The three Democrats in the Delaware Valley federal delegation also support the package.

“Our border and immigration system is dysfunctional and has been under both parties,” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery/Berks) posted on social media. “It’s time to start talking solutions. So far, House Republicans are unwilling. I pray they change their minds soon — for the sake of our communities and for the sake of those seeking refuge.”

Republican David Winkler, who is running against Dean, said he is “deeply disappointed” in the “lack of seriousness” from Democrats on the border, and he cites the lack of a border wall mandate in the bill.

“We should propose a bill that focuses on strengthening border security by implementing physical security measures, utilizing advanced technology, and increasing staffing.”

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester/Berks) supports the bill. She visited the border last Thursday and Friday. Houlahan also penned a letter asking her colleagues to send more aid to Ukraine.

“I’m calling on Speaker [Mike] Johnson to change his deeply cynical position that “now is not the time” for immigration reform—I couldn’t disagree more. Most people in communities across America couldn’t disagree more. No solution will be perfect, but we cannot let that keep us from making progress for both the American people and those who seek refuge here,” Houlahan said in an op-ed in Newsweek on Monday.

Her request is falling on deaf ears. Speaker Johnson and other key House leaders signed a letter Monday declaring the bill dead on arrival in the House.

“It fails in every policy area needed to secure our border and would actually incentivize more illegal immigration,” they wrote. “The so-called ‘shutdown’ authority in the bill is anything but, riddled with loopholes that grant far too much discretionary authority to Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas – who has proven he will exploit every measure possible, in defiance of the law, to keep the border open.”

Neil Young, the Republican running against Houlahan, said he agrees with Johnson.

“Senate Republicans who voted in favor of this bill should be made to account for their vote and primaried if necessary. The American people do not want a quota system on how many people should be allowed into this country illegally.

“We deserve leaders who will vote to protect our borders from all threats, be they drug, crime, or illegal immigrant-related,” said Young. “In addition, for them to also tie this nonsense to yet another $60 billion foreign aid handout to Ukraine is doubly insulting. Last year’s HB2, which Speaker Johnson passed, was the blueprint for how to handle this, and the Senate still failed to deliver meaningful border security. The American people are smart enough to know that this current administration is responsible for our crisis at the border, and no amount of media spin can change that.”

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks/Montgomery) did not respond to requests for comment, nor did Ashley Ehasz, the Democrat making her second attempt to unseat him.

Chants of “Free, free Palestine” and similar slogans rang out in Newtown Wednesday evening as about 35 pro-Hamas protesters rallied and then marched with Palestinian flags waving.

More than 100 Jewish counter-protesters also turned out, with Israeli and American flags. They chanted, “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”

Since the Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have marched in Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and other U.S. cities. The Jewish community has also rallied in support of Israel.

Hamas terrorists killed more than 1,200 people, including women, the elderly, and children. They also took some 240 hostages. As of Jan. 13, Hamas was holding 132 hostages in its network of tunnels beneath Gaza. Six of them are U.S. citizens.

On Wednesday, both groups rallied at opposite ends of the Newtown Shopping Center and began walking through Newtown. There was a heavy police presence, and some streets shut down temporarily as marchers passed through.

Montgomery County resident Aisha Chughtai came to the Palestinian protest and said she’s been active with the Liberation Center in the Kensington section of Philadelphia.

“It’s important for us to go to every county, every street, and every locale,” said Chughtai when asked why the group had come to Newtown. “We’re based in Philadelphia and have been organizing many protests (in the area). They’re popping up regularly.”

The fact that people came out despite the cold weather “shows how much they’re affected,” said Chughtai. However, she said some of the protesters she expected did not show up because they went to Newtown Square in Delaware County instead of Newtown in Bucks County.

Philadelphian Timon Kamran led chants and gave a speech.

Pro-Hamas Palestinian protesters in Newtown.

He accused Israelis of “genocide” and the Biden administration of being complacent and sending taxpayers’ money to Israel. He blamed the U.S. government for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King and claimed that Jesus was Palestinian. Despite his anti-Israeli rhetoric, he contended that he and the protesters were not antisemitic.

Bucks County resident Luba Gutman took part in the counter-protest and said she was surprised to see the pro-Hamas protesters in Newtown.

“It’s very shocking and very disappointing,” Gutman said. Her family emigrated from Ukraine when she was a child, and she never expected to “see such hate” in America. She speculated that the protesters came to Newtown because it has a large Jewish population and supports three synagogues.

A man said he came to show his support for Israel and the hostages.

Jewish counter-protesters.

Jewish counter-protesters also demonstrated outside the Lubavitch Center on State Street as the pro-Hamas protesters walked by. Lubavitch Center Rabbi Aryeh Weinstein told DVJournal the center did not request those counter-protesters presence, but they were part of a “grassroots counter-protest.”

There was no violence; “only voices were used,” he said. “Peaceful chanting.”

“There were no incidents. We were happy about that. We were concerned.”

He added that many protesters came from out of the area and out of state to “spread propaganda.”

“I hope it becomes clear to them that whatever happens in Newtown will be met by double or triple the response,” Weinstein said.

Asked to comment, Michael Balaban, the president & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, said, “The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia upholds and respects free speech and the right to peacefully protest. However, as we have seen with other pro-Palestine protests in the Philadelphia area, these protests can often spread dangerous misinformation about Israel and utilize harmful language that can incite hatred against Jews and Jewish-owned businesses. As we have said many times before, any attempts to scapegoat or isolate Jews are unacceptable and need to be denounced immediately.”

Newtown Police Chief John Hearn posted on Facebook that his department worked to ensure a “peaceful resolution.”

“The protest and march, which was organized privately by a local resident and shared via social media, aimed to raise awareness and express community concerns regarding the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza,” said Hearn. “The police department, after receiving notification through other means, deployed a comprehensive strategy to identify the organizer and facilitate a peaceful gathering, ensuring the protection of First Amendment rights while maintaining public safety in Newtown.”

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The International Court of Justice is now hearing a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of “grave violence and genocidal acts.”  Those charges are both achingly obvious and irrelevant to the legal definition of genocide.

As long as there is no intent to commit genocide, then Israeli military actions taken to disable Hamas from committing further atrocities, as their leadership promised to do, is justified even though the same acts, with intent, would be genocidal.

Notwithstanding the calls and leaflets from the Israel Defense Forces to provide some measure of direction for the hapless population, the real question of intent can only be determined if Hamas were to release the 133 hostages and surrender.  If Israel continued its military campaign once the threat of Hamas were eliminated, that would be genocidal.  Until then, Israel’s Defense Minister makes the reasonable claim that without military pressure Hamas will not release those hostages.

Israel has a political obligation to its citizens and a moral obligation to humanity to not allow Hamas’ illegal and immoral exploitation of international laws to deprive Israel of her ability to defend herself.  Israel targets hospitals, schools, and mosques because Hamas camouflages its military infrastructure with Gazan civilian infrastructure.  Those who argue that Hamas’ terrorist tactics do not justify the mass murder of Palestinian civilians are naïve children of light (Luke 16:8) who enjoy the luxury of selectively loving their neighbors from a safe distance.

Once we agree that Israel has a moral duty to eliminate the threat that Hamas poses to its existence, there are no redlines.  If it’s between “damned if we do and dead if we don’t,” that’s not a choice.

It’s not a choice for any country.  October 7 was proportionately more deadly than 10 9/11s.  Furthermore, under the guise of championing Palestinian rights, Hamas’s prurient predators defiled Israeli women with a depravity that will stain Islam forever.  The barrages of missiles from both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which have intermittently overwhelmed Israel’s missile defense systems, continue daily. And then there are the Shi’ite militias, backed by Iran, who are probing Israel’s borders for weaknesses.  Thirty years ago, Professor Samuel Huntington wrote that “Islam has bloody borders.”  Given Israel’s borders with fundamentalist Islamists, a baby aspirin is contraindicated.

Most Israelis had been hopeful that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 would result in a peace even warmer than that which Israel had previously achieved with Egypt and Jordan.  Hamas, however, dedicated to the destruction of Israel, has proven an implacable neighbor.

Alas, the devastation of October 7 and its aftermath are crushing for all involved.  Many are ashamed by the reports of the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners and, worse, vigilante justice in the West Bank.  Many are aghast at the wholesale destruction of large swaths of Gaza.  Many seek the downfall of the current government on whose watch this calamity befell.  But nothing about how Israel prosecutes this war, or which international bodies pressure Israel, will change the necessity of neutralizing Hamas.

Jews know what genocide is.  Those in the Warsaw Ghetto couldn’t have surrendered to save their lives because what the Nazis were perpetrating was genocide.  Hamas, however, has the power to stop, immediately, the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and remove all barriers to desperately needed aid to the Gazans.  But the fact that Hamas, even now, especially now, remains unwilling to release the hostages is yet another signal that they are dedicated to the elimination of Israel rather than the wellbeing of the Palestinians. No international forum should interfere with the necessary self-defense of a state.  Such a precedent invites future exploitation.

Hamas’s Charter is explicit about their intention to destroy Israel.  Their pogrom on October 7 joined act to intent.  Israel is waging a war of survival against a genocidal, Islamist regime.  The war is both devastating and asymmetric, but Israel’s intention is self-defense and deterrence, not genocide.  To apply pressure on Israel for a cease-fire rather than on Hamas to release its hostages and surrender corroborates Israel’s raison d’être:  Jews can depend only on themselves to survive.

Israel has made peace with Egypt, Jordan, and most recently the countries participating in the Abraham Accords.  Peace is possible when both parties want their own people to live more than they want their enemies to die. Israel awaits a Palestinian partner for peace.

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To what extent was the Biden administration responsible for the events leading up to the attack by Hamas on October 7?

Before the war, the administration was busy trying to hammer out an unprecedented Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement while downplaying the Palestinian question.

President Biden’s efforts to conclude a landmark Israeli-Saudi peace deal were intended to build upon the Abraham Accords signed in Washington in 2020, sponsored by the Trump administration. The accords normalized diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Israel. Morocco and Sudan also joined the accords later.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), sought a hard bargain from the United States in exchange for the proposed deal with Israel. Riyadh demanded a mutual defense treaty with Washington and a green light for an ambitious civilian nuclear program, including the enrichment of uranium on Saudi soil.

Saudi Arabia’s re-establishing diplomatic relations with Iran, orchestrated by China in March 2023, raised alarm bells in the White House. Given the animosity between Washington, Tehran and Beijing, a trilateral Israeli/Saudi/American treaty would counter Iran’s regional ambitions and check China’s growing influence in the Middle East. Moreover, it was hoped that such a spectacular foreign policy breakthrough would pay off domestically by elevating Biden’s popularity before the elections.

Ultimately, were those formidable concessions, especially committing its military to defend an unpredictable Saudi royal autocracy, congruent with America’s vital national interests? Further, should the United States have sanctioned nuclear proliferation in the world’s most volatile region? Certainly not on both counts.

The Trump and Biden administrations were captivated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision of the pathway to peace with the Arab world. In his address to the U.N. General Assembly in September 2023, Netanyahu declared that “I’ve long sought to make peace with the Palestinians. But I also believe that we must not give the Palestinians a veto over new peace treaties with Arab states.” He continued, “The Palestinians could greatly benefit from a broader peace. They should be part of that process but they should not have a veto over it.”

The Saudi position on peace with Israel was outlined by the resolutions of the 2002 Arab League summit in Lebanon. It called for a complete Israeli withdrawal from all the territories it occupied in the 1967 war and for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel, however, rejected it as a basis for negotiations.

Once the White House approached Riyadh about a possible deal with Israel, the 2002 plan was no longer relevant. MBS dismissed the centrality of the Palestinian issue in any future deal as envisioned by Netanyahu.

Unquestionably, the Biden administration bought into this half-baked scheme. Publicly, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “normalization (with Israel) cannot come at the expense of the Palestinian cause.” 

Such a statement, however, was issued for public consumption only. It had no real policy relevance. There was no way that Netanyahu’s Israel would make any meaningful concessions to the Palestinians. The administration was aware of that, yet it went along with the proposed treaty while disregarding its potentially dire consequences.

This cynical triple deal was meant to satisfy each player’s interests; MBS, a ruthless dictator, exploited Washington’s anxiety about China and demanded an alliance; Biden aspired to re-establish a “pax Americana” in the Middle East; and Netanyahu planned to celebrate the “deal of the century” by making peace with the most prominent Arab state. This untenable diplomatic ménage à trois collapsed on October 7. Hamas’ leaders were fully aware that once an Israel-Saudi agreement was inked, Netanyahu’s goal to crush the Palestinians’ aspirations for an independent state would be realized with MBS’ blessing.

The attack by Hamas was partly an attempt to derail the Israeli-Saudi deal, and it succeeded in aborting it. Biden acknowledged this saying, “One of the reasons Hamas moved on Israel … they knew that I was about to sit down with the Saudis.”

“Guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel.”

After the October 7 attack, the administration’s vocal support of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel has become a core component of its conflict resolution strategy once the war is over.

Advocating peace and promoting a two-state solution is certainly laudable at this juncture. But given the deep-seated mutual hatred, the rejectionist disposition of both parties, the fresh scars left by the continuing violence and the humanitarian trauma in Gaza, peace is nothing short of a pipedream.

Still, Biden’s misguided diplomatic adventure, peddled by Netanyahu and cheered by MBS, has exposed America’s gullibility and ineptitude to pursue a coherent policy worthy of a superpower trying to steer clear of the deadly Middle East quicksand.

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick has made no secret of his support for Israel or belief that the U.S. should stand by its key ally.

The Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania native put those beliefs into action this week, traveling to Israel to meet with members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and tour a site of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack.

“[H]e has a packed schedule while there,” a McCormick campaign spokesperson told DVJournal.

It may include visits with the families of hostages, top IDF leaders, and government officials. One site McCormick has already visited is the Kfar Aza kibbutz east of Gaza. Nearly 50 residents were murdered, and at least 20 others were reported missing after the Hamas attack. Some 1,200 Israelis were killed and and another 250 were kidnapped that day. At least 33 American citizens were killed, while others were taken hostage.

McCormick has made foreign policy a centerpiece of his campaign to oust Democrat Sen. Bob Casey, who is seeking a fourth term. The author of the recent book, “Superpower in Peril,” McCormick also holds a Ph.D. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton, served as an undersecretary of the U.S. Treasury for international affairs under President George W. Bush, and was an Army officer and Gulf War veteran.

McCormick’s wife, Dina Powell McCormick, is also on the trip. A former deputy national security adviser in the Trump administration, Powell McCormick worked on Trump’s Middle East peace plan, the Abraham Accords, with the former president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

It’s not known how long McCormick will be in Israel.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia sees McCormick’s trip as a positive from an educational standpoint.

“We are always appreciative when individuals work to educate themselves with an in-person visit to Israel,” organization CEO and President Michael Balaban told DVJournal. “However, it is our policy, as a non-profit, not to comment on individuals running for office.”

McCormick’s visit may prompt Casey to make his own trip.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said she and “at least four” other members of the Senate Intelligence Committee will be in Israel for the rest of the week. Casey is on the committee, but a spokesperson did not respond to requests about whether he’s part of the group. It plans discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The McCormick-Casey contest will be one of the biggest races in Pennsylvania and the U.S. this year. Democrats have a one-vote majority in the Senate. Polls currently show McCormick trailing Casey by about seven points.

McCormick lost the 2022 Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary to Dr. Memet Oz, who was soundly defeated by Democrat John Fetterman months later.

McCormick has been dogging Casey over what Republicans see as less-than-wholehearted support for Israel in the wake of Oct. 7. During a recent podcast interview with DVJournal, McCormick said U.S. aid to the Jewish state is vital, and he urged Republicans to come to an agreement with the White House to fund Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and reform policies at America’s southern border.

“They have a supplemental with funding for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and changes to the border. And the president is not involved. He has not been involved from the beginning. He is apparently MIA on everything,” McCormick said.

“I’m particularly worried about Israel getting the support it needs to be able to finalize the destruction of Hamas. All these things are essentially creating uncertainty in the world about America’s leadership. And this weakness has to be replaced.”

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In 2023, we were reminded that evil lurks in the world and is on the rise, and that we need strong leadership and moral clarity to deter and overcome it.

Over the last three years, the world has become an increasingly dangerous place for the United States and our allies as adversaries probe for weakness.

First, America’s enemies watched as our commander-in-chief botched our withdrawal from Afghanistan. Thirteen brave servicemen and women lost their lives and America was humiliated because of this failure of leadership.

Having witnessed President Biden’s weakness, Putin’s Russia invaded Ukraine, killing tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians and destroying peace in Europe. Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party has continued one of the largest military buildups in history and escalated pressure on Taiwan and the Philippines.

Then, Hamas launched a barbaric assault against innocent Israelis that was the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. Since then, Iranian-backed terrorist groups have attacked U.S. forces across the Middle East and paralyzed international shipping in the Red Sea. This is a stark reminder that the enemies of Americans, Israelis, and others who enjoy freedom and prosperity remain a significant threat.

At home, we’ve seen protests calling for the genocide of Jews, a dramatic rise in hate crimes, and leaders of our country’s most elite institutions failing to show moral clarity and the leadership needed to meet this moment.

The world is watching to see whether our leaders will stand up for the American people, and this has been a brutal wake-up call that all is not well for America and our closest allies.

We need leaders with the strength, the will, and the moral clarity to meet these challenges. Leaders who will make our enemies think twice about attacking America and our allies. Leaders who defend America’s interests. And leaders who will make serious, generational investments in rebuilding our military.

President Joe Biden and Senator Bob Casey will do none of these things.

Their every move has weakened our position on the world stage, undermining deterrence, and showing our adversaries that the United States may not be the superpower it once was.

Biden’s failures have had the support every step of the way of rubber stamp Senator Bob Casey.  Pennsylvania’s senior senator votes for the president’s disastrous agenda 98 percent of the time and repeatedly has failed to use his position of power when it matters most.

Pennsylvanians deserve better than weak, ineffective leaders who have proven themselves to be incapable of keeping America and our friends safe.

In the business world, when someone fails to deliver results, they’re fired. I learned that the hard way while CEO of an investment firm. My boss initially decided I was not cutting it in the job, and demoted me. I learned some hard lessons and later earned my way back to CEO and successfully led the company for a number of years.

Bob Casey should be held to the same high standard. Congress had a historically unproductive year, with the fewest bills signed into law in decades, and Casey has not seen a single significant piece of his own legislation become law in 17 years in the Senate.

The world is a scary place. We need leaders who are capable of protecting the American people and America’s role in the world.

My decades of leadership experience demonstrate I’m equipped for this dangerous moment, and I’d be honored to carry the torch as the new U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.

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