Frontline Tours In The Holy Land
Rabbi Harry Rozenberg joins me for a deep discussion on the growing global awakening among crypto Israelite communities around the world. His groundbreaking work on iTribe brings together these Israelite communities onto one social platform.
The following subjects are covered:
Israel’s interest in becoming one of the leading partners in Sub Saharan Africa is no secret. From both a common interest in fighting against radical Islam as well as infrastructure development specifically in the field of agritech.
“I call upon Israeli businessmen and women to head to Kenya and take advantage of the conducive investment climate prevailing,” Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said during this week’s visit in Israel. “Kenya and Israel have learned much, and have much to share in these experiences. In this regard, we look forward to forging even stronger relations and cooperation in ensuring safety and security of our peoples.”
Although we see growing cooperation with leading forces in Africa like Kenya, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, Rwanda has become perhaps the most integral to Israel’s overall connection to the continent. Small, but influential, Rwandans see their genocide in 1990’s as comparable to the Holocaust. The country has emerged from the destruction to be one of the leading voices in modernization and innovation.
One example of cooperation and Israel’s ability to massively improve Rwanda, is Energiya Global’s massive solar field in Rwanda. The field’s construction started in 2014 and will power 8% of Rwanda.
Yosef Abramowitz, CEO of Energiya Global and Gigawatt Global said at the time, “It’s phenomenal for Rwanda because our energy is much cheaper than diesel. And then obviously we will get support from the youth village in charitable fundraising to give them the benefit of training. This way, graduates of the village will be able to spread the knowledge of bringing solar power all over Rwanda and then East Africa.”
Energiya’s project’s are just one example. This month, Rwanda has given the green light to Israeli investors to establish an agricultural training center. Besides that, increased interaction between hitech hubs in both countries are beginning to happen.
Besides technology, Rwandans believe in and feel very connected to Israel. Most Watutsis (the main tribal group in Rwanda) believe they in fact originate from Israel. Whether that can be substantiated or not, is almost secondary.
At the core of Rwanda’s closeness to Israel, is a shared biblical ethos that solidifies the growing camaraderie. Rwanda like much of Sub Saharan Africa feels connected to the miraculous return of the Jewish people to their land and in many ways are inspired by Israel’s example. Will this provide the basis for a long lasting partnership?
Yes, it clearly already has.
In this podcast, I speak with Ashley Perry of the Knesset Caucus on Bnei Anousim [Marranos] and his work through Reconectar. There are so many facets this podcast touches on and shows why this movement is perhaps one of most important causes in the broader Jewish world today. There are literally millions of descendants of Spanish and Portuguese Jewish origin. Ashley’s work is already having a tremendous impact.
Learn more at Reconectar.
First the Background
The Kurds, who have been itching for a sovereign state of their own, now find themselves in the unenviable position of being the chief agitators to Erdogan’s Turkey. In the beginning of the turmoil in the Middle East Erdogan made a deal with the devil, ISIS. The thought there was that Erdogan would be able to create a fundamentalist Sunni caliphate as a stop gap measure against the growing Iranian hegemony in the region. Furthermore, the new caliphate would keep his arch enemies the Kurds in check.
Erdogan went about doing this by being the main corridor for ISIS bound fighters as well as the middle man for ISIS oil. Of course Erdogan sold Kurdish oil on top of that. The Kurdish oil kept the Kurdish leadership in Northern Iraq beholden to Ankara. This strategy is still in play, however Russia’s increasing intervention and Syria’s new found might against its Western backed foes has put a serious wrinkle in Turkey’s strategy.
Two Autonomous Kurdish Regions Are Too Many for Erdogan
As long as the Kurds relegated themselves to an autonomous province in Northern Iraq, Erdogan and Turkey’s military felt they had strategic strength. Russia’s arming of the Syrian Kurdish Militia otherwise known as the YPG has alarmed Turkey. Although the Kurdish population in Syria amounts to a small 1.6 million, the territory it has gained among the chaos has been significant.
The border between the Syrian Kurdish region and Iraqi Kurdish region, which has 6.6 million Kurds has melted away, effectively giving the Kurds one long autonomous area stretching along the Southern border of Turkey. With Turkey’s 15 million strong Kurdish population just to the North, Turkey is rapidly heading for destabilization.
After the Kurdish bombing in Ankara, the Turkish Prime Minister Davutoğlu said:
“We collected intelligence all night,” Davutoğlu told reporters in Ankara. “The perpetrators have been fully identified. The attack was carried out by YPG member Salih Necer, who came in from Syria.”
Of course the YPG has denied involvement. Truth matters not though to Ankara, who needs some reason to put a stop to the de facto creation of a Kurdish republic to the South and perhaps even within Turkey. The fear is compounded even more by Russia’s backing for Kurdish military operations.
If Turkey uses the pretense to attack Syria in order to push back Kurdish expansion, the die will be cast for an intense explosion in war activity throughout the Middle East. The Kurds are seen by even America as in the right in relation to Turkey. Erdogan may feel he has no choice, but his decision may end up taking him down one way or the other.
Have a listen to my interview with our very own Remy Ilona, leader and activist of what can only be called an awakening movement among the Igbo population in Nigeria.
I discuss with Remi the following:
“When there’s a 13-year-old girl holding scissors or a knife and there is some distance between her and the soldiers, I don’t want to see a soldier open fire and empty his magazine at a girl like that, even if she is committing a very serious act. Rather he should use the force necessary to fulfill the objective.”
The above statement from Gabi Eisenkot, Israel’s top general essentially sums up the disconnect that Israel’s security heads have from the current round of violence. By treating actions like stabbing innocent civilians as criminal acts the heads of Israel’s security forces are working with a different set of assumptions than the Arab leaders of Israel are.
Knifings, stone throwings, and shootings are not happening because of some sort of criminal offense, but because the Arab leadership insists on fighting a war this way. In war, the fastest way to win is to use maximum force. This does two things. Firstly it saves lives of both warring parties and second it ensures victory. The longer a war goes on more civilians on both sides run the risk of death and victory becomes less certain.
The current violence has been carefully orchestrated to rise in severity as to constantly keep the security forces guessing. The knives have now been replaced by guns and if Hamas can be believed, the guns will be replaced by bombs. In fact Hamas has recently issued a music video hinting it is about to return to suicide bombs.
“Oh Martyrdom-seeker, make them cry. Make the fire engulf them. Turn them into body parts, roast them, bringing joy to the hearts of the steadfast [Palestinian] people.”
It may seem cruel to shoot a 13 year old girl waving a knife and attempting to hurt innocents, but by using maximum force against her, the enemy will learn that it is better to stop than use anything stronger.
Israel’s security agencies, despite their many successes still function in accordance with a false perception of what it means to deal with an unrepentant enemy. This is an enemy who has taught its children to hate blindly. In war, an enemy like that should not be spared and can only be stopped when it realizes it cannot win…ever.
One should not think too deeply on Angela Merkel’s words in press conference with Bibi Netanyahu in Berlin today. According to i24 News, the German Chancellor said:
“Now is not the time for a significant step forward [in the two-state solution].”
Angela Merkel has been known in the past as a major backer of the two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The fact that she seems to be pushing the pause button should catch more than a few glances. However, one should not take her pronouncement too far. In the intra-Europe sparring over the refugee crisis, Angela Merkel has been painted (mostly due to her own policies) as responsible for the catastrophic situation that Europe now finds itself.
With the Eastern European countries taking a far tougher approach than herself, she has been struggling to stave of not only a revolt in the EU, but one in her own country. Keep in mind, many Eastern European countries have sided with Israel over the labeling crisis and by doing so they have revealed how fractured the continent is. Merkel achieves a lot with her statement. By backing off of Israel, she can show her interlocutors that she isn’t as clueless about the sweeping hordes of Islamic migrants engulfing her continent. After all Israel has been taking the brunt of radical Islamic violence for years. Letting it drown in the region’s current typhoon of geopolitical chaos would prove how clueless European leaders really are. So Merkel gains the mantel of “principled leader” without forfeiting too much of her open borders policy.
Keeping Israel in Europe’s Orbit
As Israel continues to build on its economic growth with trade deals and energy agreements with a variety of new partners, Europe understands that Israel is in fact poised to surpass it as a global leader and influencer. China and India don’t care about the to state solution, backing it only with lip service. Russia does only what’s best for it and a strong Israel could very well be part of Putin’s plans for the region. Europe is being cut out of everything and losing influence over Israel would not bode well for it.
Backing Israel on the two state solution is ultimately an attempt to lure Israel away from shifting alliances, especially ones that stand diametrically opposed to the EU’s policy in the Middle East.
Are we in 1914 or 2016. Sometimes with all of the alliances it’s hard to tell. Then again when it comes to Syria there are some outliers that might just throw the alliance system out the window. With the war in Syria on the verge of turning into a much wider conflict it is important to understand how all the sides are stacked.
Russia, Iran, Syria, Armenia
The Shiite-Russian alliance has been steadily growing for some time. The pervading assumption has been Russia’s need for a Mediterranean port being behind his support of Assad. With Turkey’s downing of the SU-24, Putin’s calculus has changed.
Long an opponent of Turkey’s expansionism, Putin used the SU-24 incident to turn the screws on Turkey’s Erdogan. Armenia, a close ally of Russia is being beefed up as a potential launching pad for attacks against Turkey. Besides its alliance with Russia, Armenia has historical redresses with Turkey going back to the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
Iran and the Syrian government’s forces have become Russia’s ground troops in taking back the strategic Western part of the country. Russia has avoided a repeat of its Afghanistan debacle by using the Shiite armies to do its work. Besides that, the Shiites are giving Russia real geopolitical leverage against the region’s Sunni powers.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Gulf States
What makes the stakes so high in Syria, is the exacerbation of the Sunni-Shiite conflict. With Russia in full concert with the Shiite led countries, the Sunni states like Saudi Arabia and Turkey see no other choice but to go into the fray. The reasoning is simple: the Shiites with a resurgent Russia need to be stopped now or risk being too formidable once their gains are entrenched.
The Sunnis are 90% of the Islamic world, but the growing Shiite crescent creates a real strategic nightmare for them, effectively cutting the Sunni world in two and, of course, controlling key oil routes that will have a very real effect on future regional control.
NATO
Although conventional wisdom insists that NATO would issue the game changing Article 5 in the case of a Turkish-Russian war, it is not at all clear NATO will pick a side. Europe is very much dependent on Russian gas during the winter. They are also trying to tamp down the off again on again conflict in East Ukraine and need Russia to help them. As for Obama and the USA, getting into a war with Russia and the Shiites on behalf of Turkey and the gulf states is not something they want.
With all of that being said, a full out war between Russia and Turkey will have large consequences for energy control, economy, and refugees. NATO may have little choice but to jump into things on behalf of their most disliked member, Turkey, even if the gamble proves to be a negative one.
Greece, Cyprus, Israel
With Greece, Cyprus, and Israel’s new found partnership in energy, technology, and security all three of them are loath to pick sides in what is fast turning into a geopolitical typhoon. Greece and Cyprus are arch enemies of Turkey and it is no surprise that Greece has made it clear that they see Russia as a friend and potential partner. This of course puts Israel into an uncomfortable position. At one hand, Israel has been seeking what is known as a neutral foreign policy for decades and, on the other hand, is still very much in the orbit of Europe and the USA.
With Russian overflights of Israeli airspace increasing daily and new trade avenues opening up with the very countries aligned with Russia, it should no longer be surprising what side the government in Jerusalem picks. Then again, that would put it on the same side as its arch enemies, Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah. Russia insists it has them in check, but trusting Putin has never been a good idea.
Of course, Bibi and Israel rather stay out of it and continue trading with all parties equally, but remaining neutral may no longer be an option.
Jordan
The King of Jordan has vacillated between the West and Russia. In many ways for the same reason Israel has. Surrounded by ISIS and Al Qaida, King Hussein’s rule is the most tenuous in the Middle East. Assurances for his family and his throne’s safety are key. If Russia can promise protection, then Jordan may very well switch sides.
Kurdistan
Kurdistan has always been hard to read. Typically speaking, the Kurds (split between Turkey, Syria, and Iraq) have done their best to pick partners that would be willing to help them advance their independence agenda. In this case, Russia seems most willing to help defend and enhance Kurdish objectives; mainly because the Kurds are the single biggest domestic threat to Turkey.
If a Turkish-Russian war does materialize then the Kurds are Putin’s most important weapon. They give Putin a Turkish domestic constituency primed for a violent uprising. In addition, they are a formidable fighting force situated along the length of Turkey’s entire Southern border. Coupled with the fact that Iraqi Kurdistan is oil rich makes them the lynchpin Putin needs.
What’s Next?
Full on war between Russia and Turkey and their respective allies seems almost certain at this point. The question is: when? That depends much on Turkey’s actions in the next few days. If the Turkish army continues to shell Northern Syria and even sends troops in then Russia will act. Russia will claim they have no choice but to capture the Bosphorous Straits, in order to defend against a Turkish closure to Russian vessels. At that point, the key actor to look at is NATO. If they enter on the side of Turkey, Russia will send their army into Ukraine. Once that happens all bets are off.
If the latest reports out of the Levant are true, Turkey has quite possibly sparked a global war. RIA Novosti reports by way of Sputnik News the following:
“Turkish artillery opened fire on the positions of the Syrian army in the Alia hills region of northwest Latakia. Several shells have fallen from Turkish territory.”
Given the fact that Turkey has been building up its armed presence on the Syrian border has been seen by many as a sign of impending invasion. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has made it clear they would like to move ground troops into Syria in order to fight ISIS. The combination of the two Sunni allies potentially sending ground forces into the Syrian chaos guarantees an exponential expansion of the war.
Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime know the Sunni countries will not sit by and watch themselves become diced up by Russian backed Shiite forces. The Sunnis have spent way too much capital in stopping the burgeoning Shiite crescent to not try to push it back when it matters most.
Russia is not Backing Down
With oil prices falling and a weakened West, Russia cannot afford to back off it’s growing entanglement with Syria, especially since they appear to be winning. This is Putin’s gamble and he wants and needs to win. They have proven that sheer force and a disregard to international norms when attacking civilian areas can defeat what they view as radicalism. Putin is sending a message out to the Islamic militants within Russia, not to mess around.
Erdogan Needs a Win or Else
Erdogan really thought that he would have been able to woo Israel back into his fold. Yaalon has now indicated that it will not happen. Without an energy partner and a tightening embargo from Russia, Erdogan has to push back on the Syrian forces that are maligning ethnic Turkmen in Northern Syria. Even more so, Erdogan has to show that he is still viable. Bombing Syria and taking the Northern territory is the surest way to do that. Of course it could very well ignite a conflict far more destructive throughout the entire region.
I have often times shocked my friends in admitting I never vote in American elections. As a dual citizen of both the United States and Israel I am fully eligible to vote, but refrain from doing so. Why? I am what you call a one issue candidate. That issue is the security of the State of Israel. Although I believe our security here is of importance to the electorate in the USA, I feel it is wrong to help sway their vote in order to help my cause, which is overly and rightfully Israel centric.
With all of that being said, I cannot help but comment on the state of politics in my former country. Jews in America have done well in politics. There are Jewish congressmen, senators, and now even Presidential candidates. We have always excelled in all of the countries we have called home. From Joseph in Egypt to Daniel in Babylon/Persia.
We also have a habit (especially in modern times) of overplaying our hand. Nowhere do we see this in the current presidential race as explicitly as the attacks coming forth from the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) against Ted Cruz. These attacks are focusing on Pastor Mike Bickle’s comments in 2004.
““Let me tell you, these 20 million — less than 20 million Jews worldwide, there’s about 5 million in Israel, about another 15 million worldwide, a little bit less than that — those 15 million, God is going to bring them all back. Two-thirds will die in the rage of Satan and in the judgments of God and one-third, every one of the one-third, will be in the land before it’s over and they’ll be worshipers of Jesus … The Lord says, ‘I’m going to give all 20 million of them the chance. To respond to the fisherman. And I give them grace. And I give them grace …if they don’t respond to grace, I’m going to raise up the hunters … And the most famous hunter in recent history is a man named Adolf Hitler.’”
Bickle has endorsed Ted Cruz for President saying the following:
“Our nation is in a great crisis in this hour. We need a president who will first be faithful to honor God’s Word. We need a president who will work to defend religious liberty, uphold our Constitution, keep our country safe and our economy sound, and speak truth to the nation. We have been praying for righteous leaders and Ted Cruz is such a leader. I am enthusiastically endorsing Ted Cruz.”
Ted Cruz has touted the endorsement saying, “I am grateful for Mike’s dedication to call a generation of young people to prayer and spiritual commitment. Heidi and I are grateful to have his prayers and support. With the support of Mike and many other people of faith, we will fight the good fight, finish the course, and keep the faith.”
The above statements are fact. There is no denying what was said and the outlook Bickle has. The real question is, why does it matter? Secondly why is the NJDC making such a big deal about the viewpoint of Bickle?
The Liberal Jewish establishment in America have for years supplanted traditional Jewish teachings with the philosophy of the modern liberal and social justice movements. Judaism, being the moral foundation of the Jewish Nation is covenant centered in outlook. The law was given by the Almighty to be followed and help direct a truly just society. The Liberal Jewish approach to the world is opposite. Liberalism has become the foundation for all things, even Judaism. If a piece of the Law does not fit into a “modern” outlook then it is ejected. By no means am I implying this is an all or nothing affair, but rather I am attempting to stress that way one views the basis of his or her life outlook essentially becomes pivotal foundation for which they judge morality.
Liberal Jews have taken to picking apart anything connected to conservative principles as archaic and primitive. The weapon of choice is often the anti semitic card. This has increasingly become more and more maligned by non-partisan observers, but organizations like the NJDC continue to deploy it. The fact is, many of us Jews on the right in America and in Israel cringe when mostly Democratic Jews who have little or no connection to observancy play the Jewish victim and are “appalled” at the religious viewpoints of devout Christians.
Let’s put it more clearly. Liberal Jews are liberals. Their religion (not their ethnicity) is liberalism. Any theological convictions are at their core in opposition to liberalism. This would go equally for any dedicated co-religionist. Being an observant Jew, I have no qualms in my belief set. I also understand my co-religionists disagree on my eschatological outlook. This is of no surprise since each of us believes our side is right. The question is not how one views the “End of Days,” but rather how an individual acts towards their fellow man up until that point.
From Israel things are Viewed Differently
Israelis do not care if a particular person believes in a different ending to the redemption process. We care about developing our country and want the strongest allies possible. Ultimately our foreign policy is increasingly becoming a neutral one. This means, we have to do what is best for the Jewish Nation. Since what is important to Israel is Israel, then it is very easy to decide who would be the best President. All one has to do is look at a candidate’s record. There has been perhaps no greater supporter of Israel and the Jewish people’s rights to all of the Land of Israel in the Senate than Ted Cruz.
In September of 2014 Ted Cruz was booed off stage at an event supporting the Christians of the Middle East. Why was he booed off stage? For supporting Israel.
“Those who hate Israel hate America,” Cruz told the people attending the event, which he had been invited to address as the dinner’s keynote speaker. “Those who hate Jews hate Christians. If those in this room will not recognize that, then my heart weeps. If you hate the Jewish people you are not reflecting the teachings of Christ. And the very same people who persecute and murder Christians right now, who crucify Christians, who behead children, are the very same people who target Jews for their faith, for the same reason.”
The last statement Cruz made as he walked off stage was, “If you will not stand with Israel and the Jews, then I will not stand with you. Good night, and God bless.”
Calling Ted Cruz an Anti-Semite is despicable. It’s true, he may very well have a Christian eschatological outlook, after all he is a Christian and he is in fact entitled to his religious beliefs. Organizations like NJDC and leading Liberal Jewish politicians would do well to separate Liberalism from their Judaism. When they do that, they may see the only thing they can accuse Ted Cruz is disliking Liberals. In my book, that is perfectly fine.