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The International Court of Justice just confirmed Israel’s right to self-defense. Download YouTube 2024-02-01 (287) Short < Previous Next > The International Court of Justice just confirmed Israel’s right to self-defense. Video Transcription:

THEY JUST WANTED TO DANCE. Download YouTube 2023-10-22 (#024) < Previous Next > It was a party. Ortal Ben Ayun, 23, murdered. Karin Journo, 24, murdered. Inbar Haman, 27, kidnapped. DJ Matan "Kido" Elmalem, 42, murdered. Moria Raviv, 23, murdered. Ofir Tzarfati, 27, missing. Mia Shem, 21, kidnapped. Childhood friends, Shira Ayalon and Amit Lahav, 23, murdered. Ruth Perez, 17, missing. Her father, Eric, murdered. They just wanted to dance... Video Transcription: Coming soon

Released Israeli hostage Yarden Roman-Gat fights for sister-in-law's return from Gaza (CBC-60 min) Download YouTube 2023-12-18 (218) < Previous Next > Israeli hostage Yarden Roman-Gat, now reunited with her husband and daughter after 54 days in Gaza, spent the day after her release hoping her sister-in-law Carmel would be the next to come home. But Carmel wasn't released. Though more than 100 hostages taken into Gaza during Hamas' deadly Oct. 7 attack have been released, roughly 130 remain in the hands of Hamas. Yarden Roman-Gat, along with her husband Alon, are still fighting for Carmel's return. What happened to the family on Oct. 7? The couple were in Kibbutz Be'eri, near the Gaza border, visiting Alon's parents when Hamas stormed in, they said. Alon's mother was dragged outside and shot dead. His sister Carmel disappeared. Fighters shoved Alon, Yarden and their 3-year-old daughter Geffen into a car and took off. When an Israeli tank passed by, the captors got out and hid in some trees, leaving Alon, Yarden and Geffen behind with an unarmed driver. The parents seized the moment and took off. Yarden had been holding Geffen, but she's not a good runner, so she passed their daughter to Alon. "He's a very good runner," she said. "I just passed her on. It was a no-brainer. It was her best chances." Alon ran ahead with their daughter, gunfire ringing out as he ran for safety. He found a ditch and hid with Geffen, wondering if he should go out and look for his wife. "I thought about all these things," he said. " And I said 'No.' I have one mission now. And this is to save Geffen." The pair were in the ditch from around 11:30 that morning until about 8 p.m. Yarden's capture As her husband and daughter hid, Yarden, too exhausted to keep running, fell to the ground as her captors closed in. She tried to play dead, but was quickly found out. "They grabbed my arms and started dragging me on the ground towards, back to the car," she said. Yarden, who'd been in pajamas, said her clothes were pulled from her body as she was dragged. And it was one of, one of the most frightening moments because my thoughts were, 'Even if they didn't have that intention, now they might have, and I'm half naked," she said. Like other hostages, she was driven into Gaza through thick crowds of celebrating people. "My kidnappers could not help themselves, showing me off as a trophy," she said. 54 days in captivity "I was watched and seen at all times. I was not hidden, not for a moment," she said. "They could do anything to me." There are some details of her time in captivity Yarden did not want to share. "They did not want to protect me. They wanted to guard their trophy," she said. "But I do think I managed to make them care, I don't know, in some levels. And I do think it helped me survive." Sometimes Yarden could hear news on the radio. About three weeks into her captivity, she happened to catch one of Alon's cousins speaking. The cousin mentioned that Yarden and Carmel were being held, but he didn't mention Alon or Geffen, so Yarden assumed her husband and daughter were OK. Though she felt relief about Alon and Geffen, she was tormented thinking about Carmel because of the almost constant explosions of the Israeli bombs leveling neighborhoods all across Gaza. "It's a very, very frightening experience to be on a war zone," she said. "You cannot ignore it. It's very intense." Returning to her home in Israel Yarden and Carmel's family waged a campaign for their release. They even traveled to Washington for help. Eventually, all the pressure paid off; late last month, Israel temporarily ceased the bombing and Hamas agreed to release some hostages, mostly women and children, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Under the terms of the deal, three Palestinian prisoners were to be released for every one hostage freed. Every night, the phone would ring with news of who was on the release list, Yarden's brother, Gili Roman, said. "That was the twisted reality show that we lived in," Roman said. Once the hostage releases started, the entire country was glued to television, as each transfer was covered live. But for five excruciating days, neither Yarden nor Carmel were on the list. Then came day six of the temporary cease-fire. After 54 days, Yarden's captors told her she was going home. "They wondered, 'Why aren't I'm happy?'" Yarden said. "They almost demanded it. 'Be happy, be happy already. You're going home.'" The family gathered around a TV that night and watched as Yarden crossed out of Gaza and was transported to Israel. Alon woke Geffen up around 2 a.m. "'We found Mommy,'" he remembered telling her. "'We found Mommy and she's coming back.'" The temporary cease-fire ended on Dec. 1 without Carmel's return. Alon is still fighting for his sister, now with his wife by his side. "My sister-in-law Carmel and a bunch of other hostages are still in Gaza," Yarden siad. "And it's wrong. And we have to stop it. And if we can do anything to help that, we will." Video Transcription: It's been one horror and tragedy after the next since hamas's killing and kidnapping attack of Israelis 10 weeks ago on Friday three hostages were accidentally killed by Israeli forces even though we now know they were waving a white flag, this as the Army's pounding of Gaza continues unabated as much as 90% of the population has been displaced and the death toll keeps risinging about 100 Israeli hostages have been released mostly women and children but as many as 130 remain in captivity an open wound in Israel, where we went this past week and spoke to one of the hostages who was freed after 54 days 36-year-old Yarden Roman Gat, she and her husband Alon Gat were abducted on October 7th at a kibutz near the Gaza border Alon took us to the rubble that was his parents' home in Beeri, this is the the entrance, on October 7th he, his wife Yardan and their three-year-old daughter Gefen were visiting his folks when Hamas stormed the kibuts gate broke into their home dragged out his mother and shot her his sister Carmel disappeared and the Hamas fighter shoved the three of them into a car and took off, and they are taking us into Gaza, you're driving along there in the car, yeah, this is the area where they drove the car to, and there is a small Army Post over there and this is the place where they stoped the car because there was a tank passing the terorists went out of the car to hide in the trees, he and Yarden sees the moment and we just jumped off, both sides and started running, you had Gefen? I had Gaffin on me, I'm not a good runner and running with the 12 KG of my baby the best odds is that Alon would take her and he's a very good runner I just passed her on, it was a no-brainer it was her best chances so you passed your child along to Alon, yeah, so I took Gefen and I ran in front, we started to hear the terrorist shooting at us so we hearing bullets whistling next to us on my both sides really close by I'm talking about that distance of me and you're carrying, and I'm with Gefen, and I found a small crack in the ground like a small ditch? yeah, yes, and I put Gefen down on the on the ground and I was on her lying there with Gefen trying to keep her quiet and all this time you still don't know what had happened to your wife, it's something that I thought about should I go with Gefen and search for Yarden is Yarden, is she wounded is she hurt, I thought about all these things and I said no, I have one Mission now and this is to save Gefe, how long were you in the ditch? from 11:30 a.m. to around 8:00 p.m. 9 hour? s about and Gefen was amazing, she didn't cry about food or water once she told me Daddy it's a shame we didn't bring water hours earlier Yarden too exhausted to keep running fell to the ground as her captors closed in, I played dead but holding my breath was next to impossible so they said, no she's not dead there's no blood so pick her up, and they grabbed my arms and started dragging me on the ground towards back to the car I went in pajamas, and my clothes tried to swipe off my body and it was one of one of the most frightening moments because my thoughts were even if they didn't have that intention, now they might have, and I'm half naked so you're worried about rape yeah, I was worried to get raped yeah, of course and fortunately enough they didn't do it and they were, the the goal was get me into Gaza like other hostages she was driven into Gaza through thick crowds celebrating, my kidnappers could not help themselves showing me off as a trophy and showing my face as an object, I was not a person, but but the windows were up right no one could reach, no, they were not up there were a lot of people around and as we, yelling and, yeah partying after similar gauntlets of Terror many other hostages were taken down into the dark airless tunnels Yardan was never underground, and where did they take you? eventually we got uh to a house I was alone but I was never alone because I had my Guardian guardian guards, guards with me 24/7 from the second I got to Gaza to the second I left were they men or women or both or only men, only men, you cannot object to anything it could cost you your life she was given a hijab that covered most of her body. I got a very strong feeling this is my that that fabric is my only protection that I don't know its effectivess but it was the only thing I got you could feel hidden a little bit behind that formless the word hidden has no place, I was watched and seen at all times I was not hidden, not For a moment, they could do anything to me, I was helpless did you try to engage them so they would see you as a human I'm trying to make them care did it work do you think they began to want to protect you? they did not want to protect me, they wanted to guard their trophy but I do think I managed to make them care I don't know in some levels and I do think it helped me survive. do you think that at some level you just shut down you know just almost as if it was happening to another person, no no you were it was happening to me yeah there are details about her captivity that she didn't want to share with us did they feed you? what you can't talk about it? That okay. She lived with persistent anxiety over the fate of Elon and Gefen then 3 weeks in because she could occasionally overhear news on a radio she happened to catch one of Alon's cousins speaking, and he mentioned by the way the fact that I am and Carmel my sister-in-law were held in Gaza, you heard your name come up on radio, yeah but it didn't mention Alon and Gefen so I could pretty much assume that they were fine. along with relief about her husband and child she was tormented about Carmel because of the almost constant explosions of the Israeli bombs leveling neighborhoods all across Gaza, were you afraid that that was going to kill you? yes, it's a very frightening experience to be on a war zone you cannot ignore it, it's very intense meanwhile in Israel there was a growing "bring them home now" movement to pressure the government to prioritize the hostages. bring them back home now, now, now, now, posters of the hostages are everywhere this is Romy Gonen who was shot and kidnapped for her mother mirav it's October 7th every day outside they're not fed they're starved we know the about um sexual harassment of the women that left there and of the men also that treated with cruelty the ones that stayed there and it's important to understand that they don't have time Yarden's family waged their own campaign setting up a war room to get her and Carmel freed even traveling to Washington for help, eventually all the pressure paid off, last month Israel agreed to Cease the Bombing and free some Palestinian prisoners and Hamas issued a daily list of hostages it would free the next day, every day mostly it's night in the middle of the night we would get a phone call of whether we are on or off the list. Yarden's brother Gilly the way it played out was Hamas would announce who's coming out tomorrow that was the twisted reality show that we lived in, yes that is what happened, once the hostage releases started the entire country was glued to television as each transfer was covered live, but for five excruciating days neither Yardan nor Carel were on the list, then came day six of the ceasefire after 54 days Yardan captors told her you're getting out they wondered why aren't I'm happy, they almost demanded it, be happy be happy already you're going home, you know some of the hostages were given drugs to make sure that they looked Happy, Well treated, if they.... I don't want to go there, you don't? okay. on the night of her release her family the entire War Room gathered around a television and as she crossed out of Gaza oh escorted by her captors yardan was handed over to the Red Cross and transported to Israel. I woke up Gefen around uh 2:00 in the morning I woke here and I told her we found Mommy we found Mommy and she's coming back the reunion, the embrace took place at a hospital the first stop for all the released hostages, the last time Yarden had seen her daughter was 54 days earlier when she handed her over to Alon so it it hasn't been that long since she came home, is she still the same person yeah, she is? I think she is, yeah are you the same person? no I'm a different person I'm tearing apart between finding more info about Carmel, my mother was murdered so also, I didn't have time to mourn on that, I was dis connected emotionally and I think still, I am Alon's old kibutz is now rose and rows of burned out houses. This is Gefen's Swing with painful reminders, the day after Yardan was released everyone thought his sister Carmel would follow the whole day I kept my self expecting Carmel, I was almost sure she's the one, oh dear I'm sorry, I'm sorry, the ceasefire deal unraveled no more hostages have come out since the family war room is still operating now focused on Carmel and now you're part of the war room that's right so why did you decide to do the interview? my sister-in-law camel and a bunch of other hostages are still in Gaza and it's wrong and we have to stop it and if we can't do anything to help that we will you see this a mother still waiting for her daughter to return is there any fear that time is running out yes at 60 minutes overtime.com she's young

Kill everyone” - this was their command. Download YouTube 2023-10-24 (#039) < Previous Next > Evidence from the interrogation of Hamas terrorists captured by Israel after the October 7th attack. They criticize the commanders of Hamas and blame them for using civilians as human shields and causing death and destruction in Gaza. They were told to kill as many people as possible or to take as many hostages as possible. They were promised financial remuneration for hostages. $10,000 and an apartment. They tell of killing unarmed people and elderly people being kidnapped. They set houses on fire. A teenager was kidnapped after the terrorist took a selfie of himself with her. It is not quite clear what happened to an entire family who were in their pajamas. They killed a family of four as well as their dog, and an old lady and say that Islam forbids killing women and children and babies but not torture and abuse. They admit to being like Isis. Video Transcription: Coming soon

Australia and Canada did not ‘understand’ meaning behind ceasefire vote for Gaza Download YouTube 2023-12-21 (238) < Previous Next > Palestinian peace activist Bassem Eid says Australia and Canada did not “understand” the meaning behind voting in the UN for a ceasefire in Gaza. On October 7 Israel declared war against Hamas after the Palestinian terrorist group fired thousands of rockets as far north as Tel Aviv. “We witnessed, in the past 16 years since Hamas occupied the Gaza Strip, we witnessed several ceasefires which has been achieved between Israel and Hamas, none of them really works as it should be,” he told Sky News contributor Gemma Tognini. “In my opinion, a such kind of resolution which is the United Nations right now, trying to put it out should have to include three important elements. “The first one – that Hamas should lay down their weapons, the second one – the accountability to the terrorists which has committed the massacre on October 7, and the third is the release of all hostages including the IDF members.” Video Transcription: this week the Australian government decided to stand with the likes of Iran and Afghanistan in calling for what it described as a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza no demand for the return of hostages no mention or condemnation in that vote for Hamas a weak decision that has been rightly condemned by many basam Eid is a jerusalem-based political analyst human rights Pioneer and expert commentator in Arab and Palestinian affairs ID was born in the Jordanian occupied old city in East Jerusalem and spent the first 33 years of his life in the United Nations refugee camp of suat he rose to prominence during the first inada and in 1996 founded the jerusalem-based Palestinian human rights monitoring group in 2016 Eid assumed the role of chairman of the center for near East policy research and for full and somewhat repeated disclosure I visited the West Bank and is Israel this year under the ajac ramban program it was during this program which included time in ramala and other parts of the disputed territories that I met basamid and he joins me now basam welcome to the show and thank you for your time good morning thank you first of all to your response if I may ask you to Australia's vote for a ceasefire in Gaza in the wording of that uh ceasefire vote uh in the UN this week what's your response to that see looks like unfortunately that countries like the Australia or the Canadian didn't understand exactly the meaning of the of the ceasefire and what is the definition of the ceasefire listen we we witnessed in the past 16 years since the Hamas occupied the Gaza Strip we witnessed several ceasefires which has been achieved between Israel and the Hamas and none of them really works as it should be in my opinion is such kind of resolution which is the United Nation right now trying to to to to put it out should have to include three important elements the first one the Hamas should laying down their weapons the second one the accountable to the terrorists which is committed the massacre on the October 7th and the third is the release of the all hostages including the IDF members if the United Nation will include these three conditions in their resolution I I have no problem you know probably to vote for but if those three conditions will completely a a been a a a a outside the resolution I don't think that such resolution should have to be support or voted for any country around the world in your opinion basamid why does the UN neglect to include such important an conditions in any call for a ceasefire it seems to be the most basic thing under the sun and yet those conditions which I think most reasonable people would agree should form part of any deal for a ceasefire why does the UN continually fail to include those conditions it's for a very simple reason you know in the 21st century the main aim and the main job of the United Nation is how to create conflicts rather than to solve conflicts because the UN knows if the conflicts around the the world will be solved then all the employees of the United Nation will become jobless and refugees secondly I think that the United Nation right now became a part of the Israeli Palestinian conflict rather than a part of the solution I think that the International Community right now should have to stand up and first of all to start making their own accountability with the UN why the UN is not only hates Israel but also teaching the the Palestinian students yeah how to hate and how to be violent and how to to reject the others this is the one of the most important issues that I think that the International Community should have to put it on the table before any kind of resolutions it's a really really critical point particularly in light of the last couple of weeks when we have seen um Vision coming out of parts of Gaza that have been captured and we've seen uh you know members of Hamas teaching in these schools we've seen the C you know curriculum is a very generous word to describe but you've spent 26 years researching un policies you've written extensively on the topic of Ana reform as you just said there needs to be great greater scrutiny here um on behalf of the West what is the likelihood of that happening do you think see I I I I think that the the only one who should have to be blamed here is the International Community by themselves you know the UN is surviving from the donation and from the support of the International Community and the International Community should have from time to time to make their own accountability on the activities of the United Nation mainly on the Israeli Palestinian conflict but looks like to me that the united nation became a completely an a a a independent organization that no country around the world has the the right to interfere in in their work and looks like that they have a free hand to do whatever they want without paying let's say any kind of price for the horrible things that they are doing on the Israeli Palestinian conflict this is this is such an important point one other thing I wanted to ask you basame it is that I've read a lot of commentary in the past two months that basically says and it's my paraphrase here that the West doesn't understand Hamas it doesn't understand the level of extremism at play here I want to get your take on firstly that but also what is your view on This Global Pro Palestine movement in the wake of October 7 that doesn't seem to a understand the the history here the fact that Hamas has repeatedly said not only are we happy with what we did not only are we is this a day of celebration for us but we will repeat it over and over again until Israel is wiped off the map and the Jewish people with it what is it about this that the West is missing I think that the W it will be very difficult for the West to understand what does it mean the Hamas and what does it mean the Islamic extremism and fundamentalism I think that the West is very close to start suffering from those people like the Hamas and like the Isis and only when those organization terrorist organization will touch the body of the west then the West probably will wake up and start making their own measures how to deal with such kind of a terrorist organizations right now looks like that everything is far away from us if it is from Paris or the UK or Belgium or whatever but very soon these people are going to be under the the under the the the the track and when these people will become under the track I believe that the pain will be so high and then probably these people will start fighting and standing together with Israel in term to erase such kind of terrorist organizations from the B all over the world Bas thank you so much for joining us tonight thank you for your time

Calls for Ceasefire and Proportional Response October 7th War in Gaza In a Nutshell The demand for Israel to engage in proportional warfare against groups like Hamas is deemed unreasonable due to the complexity of the conflict and the tactics of these groups. Hamas often operates in civilian areas, complicating Israel's response and leading to civilian casualties.The principle of proportionality in warfare involves balancing military advantage against civilian harm, but this doesn't mean an equal number of casualties. Historical examples, like World War II, show significant civilian casualties in state conflicts, making the application of proportionality in asymmetric warfare challenging. Israel's military strategy focuses on deterrence and minimizing civilian casualties, yet faces criticism over the proportionality and legality of its actions. Regarding the ceasefire, Israel resists international calls for a ceasefire with Hamas, citing concerns over Hamas's credibility and history of violating truces. Israel fears a ceasefire would leave Hamas in power, hindering long-term peace. Hamas's record of breaking ceasefires, including an attack on October 7th, exacerbates these concerns. Some argue that lasting peace requires neutralizing Hamas, while others, including the U.S., urge minimizing civilian casualties without directly demanding a ceasefire. Public opinion, especially in the U.S., is shifting towards supporting a ceasefire, but there's a prevailing concern that a ceasefire might only offer a temporary pause, not a lasting solution to the conflict. The full story References Related Videos Full Story The Full Story Calls for Proportional Response The demand for Israel to engage in proportional warfare against organizations like Hamas is not reasonable due to the complex nature of the conflict and the tactics employed by such groups. Firstly, organizations like Hamas do not adhere to international law and often use civilian areas for military operations, making it challenging for Israel to respond without causing civilian casualties. This situation is exacerbated in densely populated areas like Gaza, where even precise strikes can result in unintended civilian harm. The principle of proportionality in warfare, as understood in international law, requires balancing the anticipated military advantage against potential civilian damage. However, this does not equate to a numerical balance of casualties or destruction. Historical precedents, such as World War II, show that significant civilian casualties have occurred in conflicts involving state actors, further complicating the application of proportionality in asymmetric warfare. Israel's military strategy, as outlined in its defense doctrine, emphasizes deterrence, defense, and decisive victory while adhering to international law, including efforts to minimize civilian casualties. However, the nature of the conflict, the tactics of Hamas, and the operational environment pose significant challenges to achieving this ideal balance, often leading to criticism and debate over the proportionality and legality of Israel's military actions. Calls for Ceasefire The international calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war are met with resistance due to concerns about Hamas's credibility and history of violating truce agreements. Israel's reluctance to agree to a ceasefire stems from the concern that it would leave Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization, in power, potentially undermining long-term peace efforts. This apprehension is compounded by Hamas's track record of breaking previous ceasefire agreements, including a significant violation on October 7th, when they launched a coordinated attack against Israel, breaking an existing truce. The dilemma for Israel and its allies is that a ceasefire might not address the root causes of the conflict or the long-term brutality exhibited by Hamas. Many argue that only by neutralizing Hamas can a space be created for a lasting political solution, requiring real concessions in both Gaza and the West Bank. While some European allies and international bodies have pressed for a ceasefire, emphasizing the humanitarian crisis, the U.S. has urged Israel to minimize civilian casualties without directly demanding a ceasefire. The situation is further complicated by public opinion, particularly in the U.S., where support for Israel has shown a decline, with a majority backing a ceasefire. However, the overarching concern remains that agreeing to a ceasefire with Hamas could result in a temporary pause rather than a sustainable solution to the conflict. References References Proportionality Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means In Gaza The West's Incoherent Critique of Israel's Gaza Strategy The Trouble With a Cease-Fire Opinion: The problem with a Gaza ceasefire right now US public support for Israel drops; majority backs a ceasefire, Reuters/Ipsos shows Protective Edge: Hamas' violations of ceasefires - A chronology Reletaed Videos Related Videos Britain's Defense Secretary, Grant Shapps about the war in Gaza Something about responsibility Why are we blaming Israel? Sky News with arguably the most biased question ever asked on live television. "Ceasefire will almost certainly prolong the conflict” Aid to Gaza now! Oh wait, Load More

More and more Gazan civilians are standing up to Hamas. Download YouTube 2023-12-27 (246) < Previous Next > More and more Gazan civilians are standing up to Hamas. They’re holding the “Resistance” responsible for years of death and destruction. For many, this war is the last straw: "All members of the [Hamas] political bureau, without exception, are no longer in Gaza since a few days before the war. You think you're going to protect them from accountability, you punks?" Hamas knew how Israel would react when they kidnapped, raped, burned civilians and Hamas filmed and celebrated it openly, yet Hamas had no bomb shelters built for civilians, no stored food for civilians, no stock pile of anesthesia or medicines etc, etc. Everyone who is calling for the Palestinians to be free - you’re forgetting who their real enemy is - Hamas! Free Palestinians from Hamas Credits to: "Center for Peace Communications" www.peacecomms.org Video Transcription:

Free Palestine... Behind the Scenes Download YouTube 2023-11-02 (#076) < Previous Next > A Jew goes to a Free Palestine rally and asks questions. He's told "Jews are devils", "the Jews are at fault", 12 million Jews should "go to hell", Hamas didn't commit a terrorist attack, why should the Jews have a homeland? Video Transcription: Coming soon

Who shot innocent Palestinians? 💔 Download YouTube 2023-12-27 (245) < Previous Next > They’re going against their own people - we must free Gaza NOW! Video Transcription:

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar׳s exclusive interview on BBC Download YouTube 2023-11-23 (#152) < Previous Next > A satirical sketch created by "Eretz Nehederet". "Eretz Nehederet" ("A Wonderful Country) is a satirical television show by the Israeli Broadcaster Keshet. Video Transcription: Coming soon

Moments in life. President Biden about peace and terror Download YouTube 2023-10-24 (#033) < Previous Next > President Biden talks of the moments of pure unadulerated evil that Israel underwent on October 7th committed by Hamas, a group whose stated purpose for being is to kill Jews. More than 1000 civilians were slaughtered, among them at least14 Americans, parents butchered while bodily trying to protect their children, stomch-turning reports of babies being killed, enire families slain, young people massacred at a music festival to celebrate peace, women raped and paraded as trophies, desperately fearful moments trying to keep children quiet so as not to draw the attention of the terrorists. So many families are desperately waiting to hear of the fate of their loved ones not knowing whether they're alive, dead, hostages. Infants, elderly people in wheelchairs, Holocaust survivors, abducted and held hostage. THIS IS TERRORISM! But sadly, for the Jewish people, it is not new and this attack has brought to the surface painful memories of the Holocaust. There's no justification for terrorism. Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people. It stans for the annihilation of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. They use Palestinian civilians as human shields. Hamas knows nothing but terror and bloodshed with no regard to who pays the price. Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right and the duty to respond to these vicious attacks and the heartbreaking loss of innocent life. Biden has one word for anyone who thinks of taking advantage of the situation: "DON'T!" Video Transcription: Coming soon

New Rule: From the River to the Sea | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) Download YouTube 2023-12-17 (215) < Previous Next > It may be a “magical time of year,” but what we all really need right now is a good dose of realism about Israel and Palestine. Video Transcription: -(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) -And finally, New Rule. I know, it's supposed to be that magical time of year, but maybe, what we all really need right now, is a good dose of realism. I see a lot of nativity scenes when I'm out, as you always do before Christmas. And I can't help thinking about where that manger really is. It's in the West Bank on Palestinian land, controlled by the Palestinian authority. In 1950, the little town of Bethlehem was 86 percent Christian, now it's overwhelmingly Muslim. And that's my point tonight, things change. To 2.3 billion Christians, there can be no more sacred site than where their Savior was born but they don't have it anymore. And yet, no Crusader Army has geared up to take it back. Things change. Countries, boundaries, empires. Palestine was under the Ottoman Empire for 400 years, but today, an ottoman is something you put under your feet. -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) -(CLEARS THROAT) The city of Byzantium became the city of Constantinople, became Istanbul. Not everybody liked it, but you can't keep arguing the call forever. The Irish had the entire island to themselves, but the British were starting an Empire, and well, the Irish lost their tip. -(SMACKS LIPS) -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) -They, uh... -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING, CHEERING) They blew each other up over it for 30 years, but eventually everybody comes to an accommodation, except the Palestinians. Was it unjust that even a single Arab family was forced to move upon the founding of the Jewish state? Yes. But it's also not rare. Happening all through history, all over the world, and mostly what people do is make the best of it. After World War II, 12 million ethnic Germans got shoved out of Russia, and Poland, and Czechoslovakia because being German had become kind of unpopular. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) A million Greeks were shoved out of Turkey in 1923, a million Ghanaians out of Nigeria in 1983, almost a million French out of Algeria in 1962, nearly a million Syrian refugees moved to Germany eight years ago. Was that a perfect fit? And no one knows more about being pushed off land... (SCOFFS) ...than the Jews. Including being almost wholly kicked out of every Arab country they once lived in. -Yes, TikTok fans. Ethnic-- -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING) Ethnic cleansing happened both ways. In Fiddler on the Roof, the family is always moving to stay one step ahead of the Cossacks, but they deal with it. When they're leaving Anatevka, they say, "Hey, it wasn't so great anyway." (AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) (CHUCKLES) "Come on. Like other countries don't have roofs -you could fiddle on." -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING) -(CHUCKLES) -BILL MAHER: Now... (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Now, that's not how they really felt, but they were coping. They coped. Because sometimes, that's all you can do. History is brutal and humans are not good people. History is sad and full of wrongs, but you can't make them unhappen because a paraglider isn't a time machine. People get moved, and yes, colonized. Nobody was a bigger colonizer than the Muslim army that swept out of the Arabian Desert and took over much of the world in a single century. And they didn't do it by asking. There's a reason Saudi Arabia's flag is a sword. Kosovo was the cradle of Christian Serbia, then it became Muslim. They fought a war about it in the '90s, but stopped. They didn't keep it going for 75 years. There were deals on the table to share the land called Palestine. In 1947, '93, '95, '98, 2000, 2008. And East Jerusalem could have been the capital of a Palestinian state that today might look more like Dubai than Gaza. Arafat was offered 95 percent of the West Bank, and said no. The Palestinian people should know, your leaders and the useful idiots on college campuses who are their allies are not doing you any favors by keeping alive "The River to the Sea" myth. I mean where do you think Israel is going? -Spoiler alert, nowhere. -(AUDIENCE CHEERING, APPLAUDING) It's one of the most powerful countries in the world with the 500-billion-dollar economy, the world's second largest tech sector after Silicon Valley, and nuclear weapons. They're here, they like their bagel -with a shmear, get used to it. -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) What's happening to Palestinians today is horrible, and not just in Gaza, in the West Bank too. But wars end with negotiation and what the media glosses over is-- It's hard to negotiate when the other side's bargaining position is you all die and disappear. (SCOFFS) I mean, the chant "From the River to the Sea." Yeah, let's look at the map. Here's the river, here's the sea. Oh, I see, it means you get all of it. Not just the West Bank which was basically the original UN partition deal you rejected because you wanted all of it and always have. Even though, it's indisputably also the Jews' ancestral homeland. And so, you attacked and lost. And attacked again and lost. And attacked again and lost. As my friend, Dr. Phil says, "How's that working for you?" (AUDIENCE CHEERING, APPLAUDING) Look at what Mexico used to own. All the way up to the top of California, but no Mexican is out there chanting, "From the Rio Grande to Portland, Oregon." (AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) Because they chose a different path. They got real and built a country that's the world's 14th biggest economy now. Because they knew the United States wasn't going to give back Phoenix, any more than Hamas will ever be in Tel Aviv. -(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) -One of... (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) One of the leaders of Hamas says... (SCOFFS) I'm sorry, who's the one with imaginary dreams? If I give you the benefit of the doubt and say your plan for a completely Jew-less Palestine isn't that all the Jews should die. (SMACKS LIPS) What is the only other option? They move. You move all the Jews. (SCOFFS) Okay, I got to warn you, there's gonna be some kvetching. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) (SCOFFS) You move all the Jews and we do this with what? A fleet of trucks called Jew-haul. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) And to where are we moving this entire country? Texas? -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING) -Sure, they have room and I guess we could put the Wailing Wall on the border and kill two birds with one stone. -(AUDIENCE LAUGHING, APPLAUDING) -Or we could just get serious.