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Zelensky asks Bennett to Mediate
By Micah Halpern

Sunday February 27, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Bennett offered humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

And Zelensky suggested that Bennett serve as a mediator between his country and Russia.

Israel is probably the only country in the world that is trusted by both Russia and Ukraine.

The prime minister’s office neither confirmed nor denied reports that Zelensky made the request. Their statement read:

"Prime Minister Bennett reiterated his hope for a speedy end to the fighting, and said that he stands by the people of Ukraine in these difficult days"

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31 March 2022 11:39 PM in Thoughts   ·  Comments (0)   ·  TrackBack (7)



Hackers Hack Russia
By Micah Halpern

Saturday February 26, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Anonymous is an international hacking collective. And anonymous made it clear to Putin that they are attacking Russia, that they want him out of Ukraine and that they want him to resign.

Anonymous posted their demands on twitter and YouTube.

They have successfully attacked and knocked out 6 government websites including the Ministry of Defense and the Kremlin. They have made it very difficult for Russia to get their message out.

They have also taken down the website and transmission of RT TV, the official Russian English-language station.

Anonymous tweeted that they will work to keep these sites down and fight to keep Ukrainian sites and the internet open. According to their tweet:

"Anonymous has ongoing operations to keep .ru government websites offline, and to push information to the Russian people so they can be free of Putin's state censorship machine ...We also have ongoing operations to keep the Ukrainian people online as best we can."

Elon Musk has also shown his support for Ukraine. He has moved satellites to focus on Ukraine and to make certain that their internet and communications are accessible. Musk promised more satellite coverage for Ukraine in the coming days.

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31 March 2022 11:39 PM in Thoughts   ·  Comments (0)   ·  TrackBack (7)



Putin Speaks to Iran
By Micah Halpern

Friday February 25, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi spoke with Vladimir Putin and pledged support for Russia.

Iran also made it illegal for citizens of Iran to criticize Russia.

And yet, some brave Iranians went out to protest Russia’s action and many more took to social media to slam Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Iranians are defying their leadership and they are protesting the Russia action.
One very large protest took place in Tehran, the Iranian capital.

Iranian protestors were celebrated and supported by tweeters from around the world who reiterated the Iranian message - that Putin and Iranian leadership are linked.

Russia and Putin have very few supporters. In fact, Iranian leadership and Chinese leadership are probably their only supporters

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31 March 2022 11:39 PM in Thoughts   ·  Comments (0)   ·  TrackBack (7)



Mansour Abbas Meets Jewish Leaders
By Micah Halpern

Thursday February 24, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Mansour Abbas is the head of Ra’am, the United Arab List party, which currently sits in the Israeli government.

Abbas met with a delegation from the Conference of Major American Jewish Organizations which recently held their conference in Jerusalem. He met the delegation in the Knesset.

Abbas is a smart politician. Since joining Bennett’s government, Mansour Abbas has met with quite a few Jewish groups and Jewish leaders. He explained his mission this way:

“We Arabs in Israel are the bridge that can create hope for the two peoples living together in the holy land, based on the vision of Jews and Arabs living together in security, peace and mutual respect … This can bring light to the entire world.”

Abbas is aware that American Jews are very concerned about Jewish Arab tensions. The perception is that there is tension. His meetings will allow for direct funding form American Jews to Arab communities.

This is a win-win in many ways.

Arabs in Israel will win by getting much needed money from American Jews. American Jews win by learning about the complexity of integrating Arabs into Israeli society. And Israel wins as American Jews recognize that the Arabs of Israel are full members of Israeli society.

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Iran Returns COVID Shots
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday February 23, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Iran has returned 820,000 out of the 1 million anti-COVID shots that were donated by Poland to help Iran.

The shots that were returned are from the United States and Britain. They were produced by AstraZeneca.

Iranian Healthy spokesperson Mohammad Hashemi said: “But when the vaccines arrived in Iran, we found out that 820,000 doses of them which were imported from Poland were from the United States.”

And then he added: “after coordination with the Polish ambassador to Iran, it was decided that the vaccines would be returned.”

As far back as 2020, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, rejected any possibility of American or British vaccines entering the country. He called them “forbidden."

135,000 Iranians have died from COVID.

Iran has the highest death rate from COVID in the Middle East. 90% of Iranian adults over 18 have had two shots. Only 37% have received a third shot.

Iran has been relying on Sinopharm, the state-backed Chinese anti-COVID vaccine, but also offers Iranian citizens a smorgasbord of other shots to choose from, including Russia’s Sputnik V, Indian firm Bharat’s Covaxin and its own Iranian vaccine called COVIran Barekat shot. British-Swedish owned AstraZeneca makes up a substantial amount of Iran’s inoculations.

But they still need more.

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Putin Does Not Care
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday February 22, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

This will give you a sense of who Vladimir Putin. What he’s like as a leader. An idea of what he thinks of the United States. And especially, what Russian President Vladimir Putin thinks of US President Joe Biden.

Putin did not watch, he did not even listen to, Joe Biden’s speech announcing sanctions against Russia after Russian forces marched into cities that Putin claims to be Russian.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that information. He said – not explained, plain out said, that Putin was in a meeting.

The defiance of Vladimir Putin was broadcast all over Russia.

The dis was heard around the world.

Not even listening to the president of the United States was a blatant act of arrogance.

The President of Russia does not give a hoot what the President of the United States has to say.

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Iran's Red Lines
By Micah Halpern

Monday February 21, 2022
I've Been Thinking:


What is Iran’s bottom line in the nuclear talks with the West? What are Iranian expectations?

This is what we know for sure:

The Iranian parliament issued a list of conditions that need to be met before they rejoin the now infamous 2015 agreement termed the nuke deal.

Even with that condition, in typical Iranian tradition, there is a caveat: There are 290 members of the Iranian Parliament, known as the Majlis, and the parliament will need to vote and approve the agreement.

This is what they Iranians want:

1 - a guarantee that the parties will not back out of the agreement

2 – assurance that snapback mechanisms will not be triggered

3 – lifting of all sanctions against Iran

It is unlikely that all three of these conditions will be met - maybe two, but not all three.

Will that be enough – or will these diplomatic games continue to be played?

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Israel COVID Winding Down
By Micah Halpern

Sunday February 20, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Israel is moving out of their fifth round of COVID.

Numbers are coming down and the country is beginning to re-open.

Israel is opening up internally, for locals, and opening up for outsiders.

Borders will be open to everyone – and everyone means even those who are unvaccinated.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, along with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz. announced that students will no longer need to take their weekly COVID tests. The rapid tests that families were given and were asked to administer every week, to each child attending school, can be stored away.

Israel has shifted gears.

Israeli leadership is convinced that the country is almost completely out of COVID risk.

It was a long road to get to his point. This is more than simply good news.

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Israeli Strawberry in Guinness
By Micah Halpern

Friday February 18, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

An Israeli strawberry has made it into the Guinness Book of World records as the largest strawberry in the world. This Israeli-grown strawberry broke the record previously held by Japan since 2015.

The strawberry weighed in at 289 grams, that’s 10.19 ounces - more than half a pound. The type of strawberry is called Ilan. It is 7 inches long and 4 inches thick and a whopping 13. 4 inches in circumference.

The strawberry was grown in Kadima Zoran, near Netanya in central Israel, by the Ariel family.

This prizewinning strawberry was picked a year ago and put in a freezer because of Guinness issues about certifying its entry.

As and aside, I can attest to the exactitude and the paperwork required by Guinness and their record keeping. I was a Guinness judge. I judged the largest falafel in the world.

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Drones Are the Future of War
By Micah Halpern

Thursday February 17, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Drones are the futire of war.

Israel downed a drone sent into Israel by Hezbollah. It was a spy drone. Its purpose was to monitor and transmit information about the best ways to cross borders and enter Israel.

The drone was not shot down – that was not Israel’s intention. Instead, it was downed via hacking, allowing Israel to then take over the controls and then land the enemy drone where it wanted it to land.

In a speech he delivered earlier in the week in a tv broadcast, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged that Hezbollah is using drones. Nasrallah said that they are manufacturing drones. He also said that Hezbollah now has the technology to transform unguided rockets into precision missiles. Nasrallah explained that “Iranian experts” taught them how to accomplish these military goals.

Israel is obviously concerned. The new technology can pick at Israel’s defense and possibly strike sensitive targets within Israel.

This newly captured and downed drone will help Israel defend itself against Hezbollah and other enemies.

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US To Buy Israeli Boat Drones
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday February 16, 2022

I’ve Been Thinking:

Wednesday February 16, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

The United States is going to purchase new Israeli defense technology – drone boats.

Drone boats are unmanned vessels that are controlled by operators with joy sticks sitting miles, or even tens of miles, away from the vessels. The drones are armed and they are outfitted with exceptional sophisticated video equipment that sends back real time images.

Unmanned drone boats are similar to arial drones in that they can observe and attack without risk to any troops. They can also just sit quietly and watch. Those are big bonuses in terms of defense technology.

And like flying drones, these vary in size depending on their specialty.

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Gazans Are fed Up!
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday February 15, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

It’s becoming apparent that more and more people in Gaza are just fed up with Hamas and their leadership in Gaza.

#TheyKidnappedGaza is a campaign on social media that is making headway among Gazans.

In a tweet about Hamas leadership, Sad Abdalah tweeted: “Thieves can’t build a state that takes care of the interests of its people, just as they can’t liberate an occupied homeland.”

On his Facebook page Amin Abed of Gaza posted: “…Gaza is the only place in the world where, when you go forward, you go backward thanks to its rulers.”

He explained that the campaign is intended “to make the ruler [Hamas] aware of its responsibilities after reaching an unbearable level of injustice and deterioration in all aspects of life.”

Gazans who tweet and post about Hamas in unflattering and critical language are putting their lives and the lives of their families at risk. They may be arrested or even murdered for speaking against Hamas.

But they’re willing to take the risk. Because that’s how very much they want change.

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Pfizer & Israel in Trials for Omicron Shot
By Micah Halpern

Monday February 14, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Israel is taking part in a Pfizer medical trial. That should not come as a surprise.

They are participating in the testing of a COVID shot developed for Omicron. The trials will take place at Sheba Medical Center, in Tel Aviv. Israelis who have not received their fourth shot are eligible to take part in the study.

Pfizer and Israel have developed a very good relationship during COVID.

Israel was the perfect partner for Pfizer because of the nature of their medical system which is, on the one hand, developed and sophisticated – and on the other hand, is a socialist system.

Israel’s medical system is also very well organized with national health data feeding into central computer systems. This system allows for almost immediate reporting on the status of illnesses and shots as well as demographics and the locations of outbreaks.

This relationship between Pfizer and the Israeli medical system will certainly continue even, as we hope, COVID finally recedes.

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Hamas Warns Israel - Again
By Micah Halpern

Sunday February 13, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Once again, Hamas issued a warning to Israel.

If Israel continues to clash with Arabs in the Sheik Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem, Hamas warned, there will be a repeat of last year’s mini war with Gaza.

According to the terror group: "Israel will pay the price for its actions and the attempts to expel the residents of Sheikh Jarrah … The resistance has threatened Israel in the past and also faced the threat. The 'Guardian of the Wall' campaign began from Jerusalem and spread to the West Bank and into Israeli cities. We will not hesitate to begin such a campaign again."

This is not an empty threat - but it is not totally realistic either.

There are many factors to be considered before conflict with Gaza erupts. One part of the calculus of is when and how Israel responds to the attacks from Gaza. Another is how dramatic rocket strikes are and the intensiveness of the attacks.

Finally, there is the question of Israeli casualties. Israeli leadership will not stand idly by when Israelis are injured or killed.

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Iran Says Saudis are Jews
By Micah Halpern

Saturday February 12, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

The head of the Iranian Navy said on Bushehr TV that the Saudi Royal family is Jewish. This was not a compliment. It was an insult and a theological attack.

He was saying that the conflict between Iran and the Saudis goes back to the 7th Century, to the battles between the first Muslims and the Jewish tribes in Arabia.

General Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian navy said: “We cannot bear to see injustice in a Muslim country that is perpetrated by the Zionists and the seed of the Jews.”

In a clear reference to the assassination by the United States of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC Quds Brigade, he said: “[We cannot bear to see] that Muslims are being slaughtered by people who call themselves Christians but are not.”

And in a clear reference to the Saudis. General Tangsiri said: “These are the very same Jews — and I’d better say Zionists — whose hearts have never aligned with Islam, and even with the Prophet in his time.”

He continued: "The grudge that the enemies harbored towards Soleimani resembles their grudge towards Imam Hussein in Karbala." This was a reference to the battle in which Ali, the son in law of Muhammed, was brutally killed. Ali was the first imam of Shia Muslims, and to the battle in which he was killed, which became a formative event for Shia Islam.

This tirade was a direct attack against the Saudis and a call to all Shiites to understand that the Sunni Saudis are enemies - just like Israel.


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Israel De-Criminalize Cannabis
By Micah Halpern

Friday February 11, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Things are changing fast. It is a new era.

Cannabis, pot, marijuana, call it what you will, it is now decriminalized in Israel.

Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar published draft regulations making self-use of cannabis an administrative offense, rather than a criminal offense.

There are, however, some exceptions. The use of these substances by minors, soldiers, police and guards on duty are all exceptions.

Fines for use will be up to 1000 NIS.

This new status does not mean it is legal - rather it means that it is not criminal. No trial. No prison.

Smoking cannabis in Israel is now just like underage drinking or cigarette smoking.

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Russian Navy in Black Sea
By Micah Halpern

Thursday February 10, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Don’t be surprised, but - the Russian navy held exercises in the Black Sea.

Six Russian navy ships are situated near Crimea.

They announcement that this move was coming was made in January. It is happening now. The original announcement was that the Russian navy ships would engage in simultaneous exercises in the Pacific to the Atlantic and including the Mediterranean.

But it is the Black Sea that is most worrisome.

Ukraine is on the Black Sea. And that means that the Russians are on another Ukrainian flank.

This is yet another move of intimidation by Russia to Ukraine and by extension, to the rest of the world.

Not long ago the United States sent ships into the Black Sea to check Russian activity. When the Russians responded, the United States turned and left the region.

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Gulf States Demand of Lebanon
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday February 9, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

The Arab Gulf States have lost their patience with Lebanon and with the terrorist organization Hezbollah, the Iran sponsored terrorist organization which exerts tremendous power in Lebanon.

Kuwait has delivered a list of expectations to Lebanon.

The list was probably approved by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Included in the list is taking back national control of Lebanon - that means control over Hezbollah. It includes increased security in Lebanon. The Gulf States also expect a curbing of the sale of drugs to Gulf States. And they want a commitment that elections will take place as scheduled, in May.

In response, the leader of Hezbollah, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said:
"Lebanon is a sovereign country and should not be sent dictates.”

Once again, Iran is continuing to sow turmoil in the Middle East.

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Stop a Cell Hack
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday February 8, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Cell phone hacking has become a big and all-consuming topic of interest and of debate in Israel.

Israeli technology has been utilized to hack phones across the world and also, to the chagrin of Israelis, at home.

In Israel, police were hacking – among others, numerous politicians and their families. And they did it without court orders. And they’ve been doing it for a while. In fact, it may have been evidence gathered from former Prime Minister Netanyahu’s son’s cell phone that furthered the police investigation against his father.

Kaspersky Labs, world renowned hackers themselves, has given Israelis a quick set of tools to make certain that they are not hacked.

# 1 Restart device daily

# 2 Delete unknown apps

# 3 Keep apps up to date

# 4 Do not click on anything unfamiliar

Also, iPhone users should cancel iMessage and Facetime and they should not use Safari or Google Chrome.

If a hacker really wants in, they will get in. But this advice will help protect all of us from cell phone hackers.

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Iran's Red Line
By Micah Halpern

Monday February 7, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Iran has finally made it official.

The Iranian “red line” for returning to the Nuke Deal is the removal of all sanctions – that’s right, all sanctions.

Nuke talks with Iran have been taking place in Vienna. The talks have been on again and off again.

The Iranians has been dragging their feet. The United States and the other P-5+1 participants want Iran to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran has made their level of interest perfectly clear. "The issue of removal of sanctions and Iran benefiting from it is Iran's red line in the talks," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said.

It came as no surprise. We all knew this was Iran’s bottom line. The Iranians, master manipulators that they are, were constantly putting off moving into a more serious discussion until it was time to announce their red line.

Now that we know, one looming question remains. And that question is: Will the US and the West capitulate to Iran’s demand.

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Kuwait Ban Gal Gadot
By Micah Halpern

Sunday February 6, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Kuwait has banned the showing of the Hollywood remake of Agatha Christie’s great murder mystery “Death on the Nile”

Why the ban? It’s about politics, not production or creativity. It’s because Israeli actress Gal Gadot stars in the movie.

Kuwait also banned the blockbuster movie “Wonder Woman” in which Gadot had the starring role.

Unlike many of Kuwait’s neighboring countries, Kuwait does not believe in normalizing relations with Israel. The government’s official terminology when referring to Gal Gadot is "former soldier in the Zionist occupying army".

FYI Gadot was a fitness instructor in the IDF.

Unlike the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain who signed agreements with Israel and are normalizing relations, Kuwait is still very old school.

There are many people in the Arab world who see this movie and the classic movie “Cleopatra”, which starred Elizabeth Taylor, as violations of their heritage and history. The movies take place on their land and they do not want an Israeli or any Westerner treading on their literal or figurative territory.

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Abbas Succession
By Micah Halpern

Saturday February 5, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

The Palestinian Central Council is a decision-making body of the PLO. It is composed of 141 people - and it has not met since 2018.

The Council has called for a 2-day meeting to set plans for what appears to be the succession of 86-year-old Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas was last elected PA president in 2005 and has not been re-elected since. He has heart problems and recently suffered other health issues. Succession is on everyone’s mind.

According to the information we have, two people will be taking new positions as replacements for Abbas.

Hussein Al Sheikh (61 years old) will become the secretary general of the PLO’s Executive Committee. Rawhi Fattoouh (73 years old) will become the head of the PLO’s National Council.

Both men are insiders. They are both trusted advisers of Abbas. Neither of them symbolizes change or deviation in any way form Abbas’ style and objectives.

Nonetheless, this seems to be a step in the right direction.

But the transition may not be as smooth and uncomplicated as the Palestinian Central Council hopes for. There are many people within the Palestinian Authority who are laying claim to the mantel of leadership. And when Abbas can no longer lead, I predict serious tensions and even violence.

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Anne Frank New Book
By Micah Halpern

Friday February 4, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

A huge uproar has been brewing about a new book on Anne Frank.

This new book asserts that the Frank family’s hiding place was given up to the Nazis by a Jewish notary.

The European Jewish Congress (EJC) which represents 42 Jewish communities of Europe has asked the publisher to pull the book titled “The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation”. According to the EJC, the book damages the reputation of Anne Frank and will cause even more Jew hatred.

Several scholars have said the conclusions drawn by this work are dubious.

Moshe Kantor, EJC president, sent a note to Harper Collins, the book’s publisher. In his note Kantor explained that the book poses a "potentially incendiary claim... at a time when anti-Semitism and the denial and distortion of the Holocaust are on the rise.”

Kantor continued: "In our view, the publication...has deeply hurt the memory of Anne Frank, as well as the dignity of the survivors and the victims of the Holocaust.”

The thing about history, is that eventually, the truth comes out. Mistakes are common when retelling and writing history - some are larger mistakes and some are smaller. It is my belief that we should let historians and analysts argue it out.

It is never good to be on the side of censorship.

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Israel Offers to Help Lebanon
By Micah Halpern

Thursday February 3, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced that he offered aid to the Lebanese army.

Lebanon is confronting terrible economic and political crisis.

This is what Gantz said: "Unfortunately, Lebanon has become an island of instability. And the citizens of Lebanon are not our enemies, so this year I have offered aid to Lebanon four times, including last week through the commander of UNIFIL."

"We seek to provide focused aid to the Lebanese army, which is suffering from a shortage of basic supplies and has lost more than 5,000 troops that left it recently while Hezbollah is growing in strength under Iran's auspices."

"We've turned the Abraham Accords from a declaration of intent into a reality of economic and security cooperation. These actions strengthen the stability of the region and create a moderate front which includes countries which the agreements with have yet to mature."

"This year, we will have ample opportunities to strengthen these bonds and Israel's security interests. The same goes for European states that help us immensely with our efforts to block Iran, and for other Gulf countries and for Turkey. Assessing the situation soberly, in accordance with our common interests, and while maintaining and strengthening our deep and important alliance with Greece and Cyprus."

Gantz means well.

Thus far, however, Lebanon has not responded to Israel’s gesture.

Hezbollah, which is sponsored by Iran, is a mutual threat to both Lebanon and Israel. This is a perfect example of Machiavelli’s rule “the enemy of my enemy of is my friend.”

With time, hopefully, Lebanon will realize that Hezbollah and Iran are not interested in co-existence, while Israel is ready and willing and able.

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Israelis Create Laser Wall
By Micah Halpern

Wednesday February 2, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Israel will be protected by a laser wall of security within the next few months.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that "within about a year, the IDF will implement a laser-based interception system." 

Bennet made his comments while addressing the annual conference of the Institute for National Security Studies. He said that the laser security system "will be implemented in the south first, and later elsewhere."

And he added: "The system will allow Israel to be surrounded by a laser wall that will protect it from missiles, rockets, UAVs and other threats."

“If we can intercept a missile or rocket with an electric pulse that costs only a few dollars, we will by all accounts neutralize the ring of fire Iran has set up around our borders.”

The laser system will make Israel safer – and compared to the huge expense of the Iron Dome, the cost will be mere pennies.  

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Omicron New Variant
By Micah Halpern

Tuesday February 1, 2022
I've Been Thinking:

Move over Omicron. COVID-19 has a new variant.

A variant is a spinoff. It occurs when the virus mutates and a new version of it appears. This new variant is not so different from its predecessor.

The old Omicron is called Omicron BA.1 - this one is called BA.2. And it has ripped through Denmark and has been found in 49 other countries including the US.
Scientists are still studying this variant.

According to early studies, BA.2 is 39% more transmissible that BA.1. But one study shows that unlike BA.1, BA.2 is not transmissible if you are vaccinated.

This new variant proves that the Covid 19 virus will continue to adapt as it weakens, or to use the scientific term, attenuates.

In other words, the virus gets weaker but continues to be viable - meaning alive. The virus does not die - it just changes.

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