« April 2021 | Main | June 2021 »
Saturday May 29, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Iran is very good at the media game.
In a recently issued message to Israel, Iranian Quds Force commander Ismail Kaani warned that Israel will soon be destroyed and that the Palestinians will control all of the land.
He said: "We recommend Israelis buy back the houses they sold in Europe, America, and elsewhere, before they become expensive".
Kaani delivered this message as part of a speech he gave during an event marking the 40th anniversary of the death of Quds Force deputy commander Imad Hizaju.
Later, Kaani congratulated Hamas on their success during the recent military operation in Gaza.
It is important to understand the history meaning behind Kaani’s message. Israelis are buying properties from Arabs in Jerusalem. When Kaani said “buy back your apartments in the countries from which you came”, the Iranian Quds commander is really saying that Israelis are not natives, that they are colonizers and interlopers.
He is saying that the land belongs to the Palestinians.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Friday May 28, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Syria re-elected Bashar Assad as president.
Of course they did. In a dictatorship, the dictator always gets re-elected.
The question is by how much of a majority did Assad win. Certainly not a small majority of the vote, that would never do. In this election, Assad garnered 95.1% of the vote. At least, those were the official numbers.
In the last election, which was held in 2014, Assad won 88.4% of the vote. Apparently, he is much more popular today than he was 7 years ago.
It might surprise you to know that there were 3 candidates who stood for the May 26th election in Syria. The names of the two other candidates were obscure, they were unknowns.
Syria’s High Constitutional Court released their names on May 3rd. That was 22 days before the presidential election. If it was a real election there was no way to garner support let alone to get a groundswell of voters.
Syrians living in Lebanon were permitted to vote in this election. Syria views
Lebanon as a Syrian district. And about 1 million Syrian Lebanese voted in the election.
Obviously, this was a show of support for Assad, not a real election. Assad was guaranteed a fourth victory clearly and simply because he is a dictator. No other option existed.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Thursday May 27, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
The drastic rise in hate crimes targeting Jews has not fostered many responses on the grassroots level.
Some figures, like Senator Bernie Sanders, have even announced that they’ve had enough with all the condemning of anti-Semitism.
But there have been some inspiring attempts to help and assist the many frightened Jews. Especially frightened are those who are “obviously identifiable Jews.”
A group of martial arts experts in LA is being organized by a Remi Franklin, a Jewish martial arts instructor.
Franklin is coordinating jiujitsu, karate, mixed martial arts and boxer instructors who will escort Jews going to and from synagogue and will also secure synagogues in LA. His group is working together with a Jewish security group named Magen Am.
In interviews with the LA Times and The Forward, Remi Franklin explains that coordinating these communities combines his Jewish life and his martial arts life.
Haters of Jews need to witness strong powerful Jews and their friends standing together, standing tall and standing proud.
We need more people like Remi Franklin.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Wednesday May 26, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
US Secretary of State Tony Blinken has wrapped up his trip to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
The secretary of state promised to re-open the US consulates in the Arab section of Jerusalem. He said that President Biden will ask congress for $75 million to re-open the consulate and for humanitarian assistance.
Why, you might ask, is there a need for a US consulate in Jerusalem - isn’t the embassy housed in Jerusalem?
The answer is that the consulate will serve the Palestinian community.
Blinken also indicated that President Biden will ask Congress for even more help for the Palestinians. Biden will ask for another $5.5 million in addition to the original request of $32 million slated for humanitarian aid.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Tuesday May 25, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Pew Research Center Religion and Public Life published a study in mid-May which attached numbers to Jews and their attachment to Israel.
Look at these numbers.
45% of American Jews think that caring about Israel is essential to being Jewish. 37% think that caring about Israel is important. Only 16% of American Jews polled think that the Israel is not important.
The study was conducted between June 19, 2019 through June 3, 2020.
So - what conclusions can be drawn from the Pew Study?
The most important conclusion is that Israel is still important to the overwhelming majority of Jews in the United States.
I find that to be remarkably comforting. I would guess most of those 16% of Jews do not feel anything is important to their identity, not just Israel.
Poor souls.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Monday May 24, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Since the cease fire between Israel and Hamas went into effect, I have heard over and over that it is essential to ride the wave of momentum and to continue on. The assumption is that the cease fire will lead to a peace deal.
And I say - No way! Definitely not! To think this way is, quite frankly, to flaunt your ignorance. It is wishful thinking.
Hamas’ raison d’etre is the destruction of Israel, it is the basis of their charter.
Hamas does not want peace. For Hamas the cease fire was a protective move undertaken to prevent their total destruction.
Anyone who knows the region, knows this to be true.
So, you ask, why did the UAE and Qatar volunteer to help continue to broker a peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
And why did Egypt's foreign minister, during a visit to Jordan on Sunday, discuss ways to build on the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, ways de-escalate tensions in the Palestinian territories and ways to revive the Middle East peace process. And why was all of that announced in an official foreign ministry statement. They certainly understand the region.
The answer is - because, they have an ulterior meeting.
The Palestinian Authority is the only party that can negotiate peace with Israel. And right now the PA is not ready to take that step.
The UAE and Qatar and Egypt countries know that. But for the moment, they want to ride the wave of success and gain favor in the eyes of the United States and other Western countries.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Friday May 14, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
I watched the Israeli air-force demolish a 14 story building that was a center for
Hamas activity. The building was used especially for planning and for communications.
The video I watched was shot from a neighboring building.
The media felt so secure that Israel would be pin pint accurate with their shot that they were right there to tape the demolition. And indeed, Israel was accurate.
As always, Israel also text messaged people to get out of the building. I watched and listened as Israel called the guard of the building and asked him to evacuate.
They asked how long it would take. He responded 2 to 3 hours. They said good and then they called back to confirm that everyone was safely out of the building.
Even in war and conflict Israel maintains a respect for the lives of their fellow humans.
Most local media working for foreign outlets and covering this conflict are extremely biased. They did not even realize that by telling this particular story they were proving Israel’s point – not Hamas’ point.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Thursday May 13, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Rioting by Arabs in Israel has spun out of control.
Attacks on Israeli Jews by Israeli Arabs have increased dramatically.
There have been violent riots by Arabs against Jews in Jerusalem, Haifa, Lod, Tiberias, Acre, Umm al Fahm, Bat Yam, Jaffa, Jisr a Zarqa, Wadi Ara, Hadera and Beer Sheba.
In the course of these riots 374 Arabs were arrested and 36 police were injured. Many of those arrested were teenagers, some as young as 13 years old.
A synagogue in Jaffa was set on fire.
Beatings of individuals by gangs have taken place.
Policing is only one tool to prevent riots. Real prevention requires real community work and an investment of time and effort. Unfortunately, over the past few years
Israeli leadership has neglected crucial issues in Israeli Arab communities.
Frustrations have festered. We are seeing the result.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Wednesday May 12, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
It is important to understand the real reasons behind the conflict that erupted between Israel and the Palestinians.
The eviction of 7 families from their East Jerusalem homes, despite what many are claiming, is not a reason for the conflict. The posturing for position by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad within the Palestinian community is the reason for the eruption of this conflict.
Israel mishandled the housing riots. They should have known better and that mismanagement poured proverbial fuel on the flames.
The riots served to force Hamas’ hand. Hamas wanted to make themselves relevant to Palestinians – more relevant than Fatah. And so they launched 1,800 rockets into Israel within 48 hours.
Israel hit back. They hit 750 targets and 160 rocket launchers. Within 18 minutes
Israel launched 170 smart bombs aimed at terrorists and at terror facilities – especially missile launchers and weapons depots and command and control centers. They were all surgical strikes.
The IDF claims to have successfully targeted 60 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist leaders. Hamas says that the Israeli strikes have killed 100 people. Israel will continue to attack Hamas and PIJ leaders.
Israel’s objective it to eliminate both the rockets and Hamas and PIJ leadership.
Israel’s objective is to keep Israelis safe.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Tuesday May 11, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza will not end quickly.
Israeli leadership is of one mind. Israel will continue to strike at Hamas and at Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) leadership and their infrastructure.
Israeli leadership believes that: “whatever is not done now will need to be done again in 6 months or a year.”
Israel is targeting terror commanders and communication centers and they are striking weapons depots.
Soon Israel will advance teams on the ground to rid out the terrorists and to destroy their centers of operation. The teams will go in under the cover of darkness.
In three days over 1000 rockets have been shot from Gaza into Israel.
Israeli injuries and deaths are mounting and that means that the government must continue to strike Gaza until Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad is no longer a threat to Israeli citizens.
Not an easy decision to make, but a necessary decision. Israeli leadership cares about the lives and the quality of life of Israelis.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Monday May 10, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Israel and South Korea are signing a free trade agreement. This agreement is the first of its kind between Israel and an Asian market.
The purpose of a free trade agreement is to bolster investments and create a market between countries. In general, when there is a free trade agreement, most goods are tax free. So, the price of the items go down. And when that happens, sales and profits go up. The lost money from import taxes is made up on the sale of other items. As a result, economies blossom – all because good were imported without taxes.
In 2020, total trade between Israel and South Korea came to $2.4 billion. 33% of that was Israel importing goods from South Korea. That means that two-thirds of the $2.4 billion was Israel exports to South Korea.
This free trade agreement is very good news for the Israeli economy.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Sunday May 9, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
It’s happening again.
Incendiary balloons, launched from Gaza into Israel, are making a comeback. Twenty fires were ignited by balloons launched from Gaza into Israel.
The balloons fly into Israel and fall as if in a burning cloud. When they fall, they hit dry ground and crops. The dry ground and the crops catch on fire. Often, the fires burn out of control.
And rockets continue to be launched into Israel from Gaza.
The Iron Dome defense system shot down two rockets over Ashkelon. The Gaza launched rockets were aimed at civilian targets.
The Iron Dome is only activated when rockets are clearly headed into civilian areas. If they are headed to fall in an abandoned area like a field, there is no need to waste the massive amount of money it costs to shoot the rockets down.
Violence in Israel has increased. Acts of terror have increased. Aerial attacks have increased. Palestinians in Gaza are getting restless, They are flexing their collective muscle. They are taking aim at Israel.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Saturday May 8, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Despite a national lockdown, India is suffering terribly from COVID.
In March there was hardly any COVID in India. And then the tide turned and the pandemic surges. In the course of this last month, almost 250,000 people died as a result of COVID.
The numbers rise exponentially. The number of people testing positive for COVID increases by over 400,000 from one day to the next. Think about it. Over a four day period the number of people in India with COVID reaches 23 million. And that number continues to rise exponentially with each passing day.
The closure is helping, but the virus still progresses. Without the closure the situation would be even more dire. Almost one billion 400 thousand people live in India. They are all at risk.
With so many people, it is impossible to vaccinate any significant percentage of the population in a short period of time. Many more people will get sick and many will die. That is the unfortunate reality of India today.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Friday May 7, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
History is being made in Israel.
For the first time ever, a woman has been hired to be the leader of an orthodox synagogue.
Rabanit Shira Marili Mirvis was appointed to lead Congregation Shirat Tamar in Efrat.
Mirvis will graduate from a five-year course at the Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute of Halakhic Leadership (WIHL) at Ohr Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum in June.
Her course of study included Jewish law pertaining to Shabbat, kashrut, family purity, mourning, marriage and divorce. The program certifies graduates as “spiritual leaders” and “morot hora’ah” - women authorized to provide direction in matters of Jewish law.
Rabbi Kenneth Brander, president and yeshiva head of Ohr Torah Stone expressed his pride in this first of its kind program for women. He said:
“I am deeply hopeful and confident that we will look back on this moment as one which paved a new halachic direction for the rightful place of women spiritual leaders within the Orthodox community.”
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Thursday May 6, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Yossi Cohen, the head of Israel’s Mossad, visited Bahrain.
In Bahrain, Cohen met with his counterparts, the head of Bahrain’s national intelligence and the head of Bahrain’s strategic security.
There is tension in the region. Tension over Iran and how to deal with the Iranian regime. And tension caused by Israel's deal to normalize relations with Bahrain, aka the island kingdom. And further tension because Iran is trying to whip up anger against Israel.
Cohen’s visit and the meetings he held were reported about on Bahraini state run media.
The statement carried by the news agency was brief.
It said only that Yossi Cohen met with Bahrain's heads of national intelligence and strategic security to discuss "the most prominent security topics, regional developments and issues of common interest."
Neither Bahrain nor Israel want to cause more and unwarranted tension.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Wednesday May 5, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
For months I have explained, repeatedly explained, that Israel’s shipping assets are at risk.
For months, Iran has been targeting Israeli commercial ships on the high seas.
Now Iranian General Hussein Salami, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, is threatening Israel’s maritime trade. Salami has said that Israeli shipping could be "easily disrupted."
Iran and Israel have targeted each other’s ships. But Iran thinks that it has the upper hand. The Iranian general told state TV that Israel's small size makes it "more susceptible to such a devastating attack."
"On action can bring down this whole regime.”
General Hussein Salami was just posturing or sounding off. He was delivering a message.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Tuesday May 4, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Iran has purchased 60 million Sputnik V COVD vaccines from Russia. The Sputnik V is a two-dose vaccine.
60 million vaccines, at two doses each, means that Iran purchased enough vaccine for 30 million people. Sounds like good news - except that Iran has a population of 84 million.
Iran is in total COVID lockdown. Almost the entire country, 85% of the cities which comes to 250 cities, are in Red or Orange zones.
Thus far, only 100,000 people in Iran have been vaccinated.
Making matters worse is that the Sputnik V vaccine is not expected to reach Iran until the end of 2021. are only expecting the vaccines by years end.
The situation is dire.
Iran is living a COVID nightmare. The country is on the precipice. At this rate, millions of Iranians will die from COVID.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Monday May 3, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
US President Joe Biden met with Yossi Cohen, the head of the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. They met one-on-one in the Oval Office.
The president of the United States receives a daily briefing on intel threats throughout the world. But this meeting was not a simple intel briefing.
Cohen was sent to Washington as a direct emissary of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And immediately after leaving the meeting, Cohen called and briefed his prime minister.
The topic of the meeting was Iran.
Israel is not happy with the on-going Iranian negotiations. The United States is not happy with Israel’s moves and counter moves against Iran.
Relations and interactions between Jerusalem and DC are still positive. The United States and Israel are working together - even when they disagree.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Sunday May 2, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
As of the first week in May, Israel had a COVID positivity rate 0.1 percent. In real numbers that means that of the 9,236 people tested for COVID, only 13 people were positive.
There were 62 Israelis on ventilators, 102 hospitalized and two deaths.
That brought the entire fatality total in Israel to 6,365.
This was very good news.
Israel is still restricting entrance to the country, but progress on that front is being made. People entering from high COVID countries like India are put in quarantine hotels for 14 days and then tested.
Slow and cautious. That’s how Israel is managing the pandemic.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com
Saturday May 1, 2021
I've Been Thinking:
Iranian media is reporting that their negotiations with the P-5+1 are going very well.
Their media is reporting that the talks in Vienna will lead to the lifting of sanctions on oil, banks, individuals and institutions.
"Sanctions ... on Iran's energy sector, which include oil and gas, or those on the automotive industry, financial, banking and port sanctions, all should be lifted based on agreements reached so far," Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was quoted telling Iranian state media.
Washington, on the other hand, is playing down any progress.
One day soon, we should know the truth about these negotiations.
Read my latest book THUGS. It's easy. Just click.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=halpern%2C+micah
To reprint my essays contact sales (at) www.featurewell.com