Those Who Have Turned Against Netanyahu

 Nadene Goldfoot                                     

                                                            Netanyahu 1980

During my productive time in Israel, we had 3 Prime Ministers:  Between 1980 and the end of 1985, Israel had three different Prime Ministers due to a leadership change and a national unity rotation agreement: Menachem Begin: Until October 1983.Yitzhak Shamir: October 1983 – September 1984.Shimon Peres: September 1984 – end of 1985 (as part of a rotation agreement). But Netanyahu has always been my hero.  When the chips were down, the people called upon him over everyone.  During that time, Iran was at war with Iraq from September 1980 to August 1988. and left Israel pretty much alone. 

 Over 1.5 million immigrants (Olim) have entered Israel since 1980, with a major influx of over 1 million arriving from the former Soviet Union (FSU) from the 1990s onwards. Major waves included significant arrivals from Ethiopia, the United States, France, and Argentina, with over 18,000 to 20,000+ new immigrants arriving annually as of 2025–2026.  Most come without any knowledge of the history of Israel and it's politics since then.  They must learn that plus Hebrew to really survive.  Hopefully, they come with a skill.  But you can imagine that they are perfect people that the political arena can convince to their side in politics and join in just about anything.  

I have been amazed that since 1985, when I was called back to the States, some Israelis had turned against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to  what?  His handling of the October 7, 2023, attack was the latest reason, prioritizing personal political survival over bringing hostages home, and pushing divisive judicial reforms. Many hold him accountable for security failures and blame his policies for escalating tensions and failing to secure a ceasefire, fueling widespread protests demanding his resignation and early elections. 

Who were these people who turned against him?  The people who have turned against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and protested in the streets in early 2026 consist of a broad, diverse coalition of Israeli society, primarily driven by anger over the ongoing, multi-front war, the failure to secure the release of all hostages, and the push for judicial reforms. As of May 2026, these protests have continued, with demonstrators demanding the government step down, blaming it for increasing insecurity, and accusing it of prioritizing political survival over the safety of the state.

Standing Together (Omdim Beyachad / Naqif Ma'an) was founded in late 2015. It is a grassroots movement in Israel, co-founded by Alon-Lee Green and others, aimed at uniting Arab and Jewish citizens for peace, equality, social justice, and against the occupation, particularly after years of conflict in 2014 and 2015. Yes, Standing Together is a prominent Jewish-Arab grassroots movement in Israel that has actively organized against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies, including the 2023 judicial reforms, the ongoing war in Gaza, and the occupation of Palestinian territories. As a united front of Palestinian and Jewish citizens, they advocate for peace, equality, and social justice.

. Anti-Corruption & "Crime Minister" Activists: Long-term protesters, active since 2020, who initially focused on Netanyahu's corruption trial (which I consider ridiculous)     Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three long-running corruption cases (Cases 1000, 2000, 4000) that began in 2020. . The cases focus on allegations of receiving expensive gifts, negotiating media coverage, and granting regulatory favors to business tycoons in exchange for positive press. The trial, featuring hundreds of witnesses, involves allegations of accepting expensive gifts and exchanging regulatory favors for positive media coverage. Benjamin Netanyahu is alleged to have accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of luxury gifts—specifically expensive cigars,(the only accusation I heard about)  pink champagne, and high-end jewelry—from wealthy acquaintances. These items, often dubbed a "supply line," were allegedly received from Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer in exchange for political favors, forming the basis of "Case 1000".Netanyahu denies all charges, citing political motivation    "Submarine Affair" is now more important and  on judicial reform..

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seen at a welcoming ceremony for a new submarine, Rahav, at the Israeli naval base in Haifa, on January 12, 2016. (Kobi Gideon/ GPO)JERUSALEM — Israel signed a €3 billion (U.S. $3.4 billion) deal Thursday to buy three cutting-edge submarines from Germany, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced.  The Dakar-class diesel-electric submarines will be produced by German manufacturer ThyssenKrupp and are expected to be delivered within nine years, the ministry said.    Israel purchased the submarines from German shipbuilder Thyssenkrupp in a series of murky deals worth some $2 billion that have been under scrutiny for possible corruption and bribery. According to an 11-page statement released by the commission on Monday, during his term as prime minister between 2009 and 2016, Netanyahu made decisions with “significant implications for security” without an orderly decision-making process, bypassed his own government in order to come to agreements with Germany on a series of political, security and economic issues, and made defense purchases “without orderly staff work [while] deviating from the operational needs established by the government.”

Key aspects of the proposed reforms included:  Limiting Judicial Review: The government passed a law in July 2023 removing the ability of courts to use the "reasonableness" standard to cancel government decisions. Key aspects of the proposed reforms included:  Judicial Selection Control: Changes to the Judicial Selection Committee to give the governing coalition a dominant voice in appointing judges.Override Clause: Proposals to allow a simple majority in the Knesset to overturn Supreme Court rulings.Legal Advisers: Allowing ministers to reject the counsel of their legal advisers.

Brothers in Arms & Reservists: A prominent group of former military personnel and reservists who have been active in protesting Netanyahu's policies:  (Achim L'Neshek) is a prominent Israeli protest organization composed of IDF reservists and veterans, notably including former Sayeret Matkal Lt. Col. Ron Scherf  and former combat helicopter pilot Shira Eting.  Other leaders mentioned include Eyal Naveh and Eitan Herzel  with growing numbers refusing service to protest the government's direction.  Brothers and Sisters in Arms (Achim L'Neshek) began in January 2023 as a protest movement of IDF veterans and reservists against the Israeli government's proposed judicial reforms. The group gained momentum in February 2023 with a three-day march from Latrun to Jerusalem and pivoted to become a major aid organization following the October 7, 2023, attack.

Kaplan Force officially began its activities on June 25, 2023, emerging as a militant wing of the broader anti-Netanyahu protest movement during the height of the judicial reform demonstrations. While the broader protests began in January 2023, the specific "Kaplan Force" brand was established to execute "targeted actions" and "Days of Disruption or Rage" (including blocking highways and the airport) in response to the government's push for judicial reform. 

Who Are Israel's Greatest USA Presidential Friends?

 Nadene Goldfoot                                        

Going to war was the U.S. president’s decision, for which he alone is responsible.  Nobody can tell Trump to do something he doesn't want to do.  

There is the Problem With the Idea That Netanyahu Made Trump Attack Iran floating around in the US.  So they blame higher gas prices and food prices on Israel now.  Jews have been blamed for every bad thing that has ever happened;  especially the Arabs.  I know that Syrians blamed even bad weather on Jews.  Well, indirectly, maybe I can say that it's the way Jews have been treated that brings on the bad things,  you know, Karma !  (Thank you, India for that one.)  All I believe is that something is watching up high.  Something knows who's good and who's bad and it isn't just Santa Claus.  (Thank you American children).  G-d knows.  Broad antisemitic tropes and theories regarding Jewish influence on war are significant: 

• Global Views on War Responsibility: A 2025 Anti-Defamation League (ADL) poll  found that 40% of people under age 35 and 29% of those over 50 worldwide believe "Jews are responsible for most of the world's wars".
• Manipulation Tropes: Approximately one-third of Americans at least "somewhat agree" with the trope that Israeli operatives manipulate U.S. national policy.
• Antisemitic Tropes in the U.S.: As of 2024, nearly 24% of the U.S. population agrees with six or more traditional anti-Jewish tropes, an increase from 20% in 2022.  So that's during  October 7, 2023;  blaming the victim.  
  
     Truman was the first to recognize Israel as a state; here with Weisman, and he was adamant about doing so.  His surrounding friends were against it.  Here he is with Chaim Weizmann.  Israel will be 78 years old on May 14, 2026.  It's called Yom Ha' atzmaut in Hebrew.  
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                           Truman and David Ben Gurion                    
  David Ben-Gurion (born October 16, 1886, Płońsk, Poland, Russian Empire [now in Poland]—died December 1, 1973, Tel Aviv–Yafo, Israel) was a Zionist statesman and political leader, the first prime minister (1948–53, 1955–63) and defense minister (1948–53; 
• 1955–63) of Israel. It was Ben-Gurion who, on May 14, 1948, at Tel Aviv, delivered Israel’s declaration of independence. His charismatic personality won him the adoration of the masses, and, after his retirement from the government and, later, from the Knesset (the Israeli house of representatives), he was revered as the “Father of the Nation.”
• Is there a problem in that Trump and Netanyahu have become friends as well as making their country's a friend?  It seems that way.  My goodness, it's true that Trump is the second real friend out of the 50 Presidents of the 50 states.  Trump has gone that extra mile that the others didn't.  However, 3 other U.S. presidents have been close allies of Israel, with Lyndon B. Johnson, George W. Bush, and Richard Nixon frequently cited as strong supporters alongside Truman and Trump. These leaders strengthened strategic, military, and diplomatic ties, with LBJ often regarded as the most emotionally committed, supporting Israel during the 1967 war
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•  By the way, Jews happen to live in the states as well as having returned to their native land they have re-named Israel.  It's interesting that Jews make up only 2%  of the USA, yet many people  distrust them.  Where do they get such ideas? 

Israel has been at war with Iran at least since 1967.  Every day they have had the knowledge hanging over their heads that their neighbors cannot bear a Jewish state among the Muslims surrounding them.  Trump led the motion of the Abrahamic Accords in which 4 countries now belong including the USA and Israel, of course.  

This is likely the oldest photo Dusky ever posted. It's from 1855, and it shows a group of Jewish laborers in Kerem Avraham, a neighborhood in Jerusalem.

These Jews belonged to what is called the Old Yishuv, those Jews who were already living in the Land of Israel before the First Aliyah, which began in 1882.

Here's a photo of agricultural workers in Ein Ganim in 1923. Ein Ganim was a moshav established in 1908. It was later absorbed into the city of Petah Tikva and is today a neighborhood there.

Photo credit: Oded Yarkoni Petah Tikva Archive

Yet Jews had ventured back in the 1880's and even earlier to their native land of Judah, then called Palestine with the Ottoman Empire at the head of it and all the others surrounding it.  It had become unbearable in Russia and those surrounding states creating Pogroms for Jews to live, always being 2nd class people used to vent all their problems on, then...as now, taking it out on them physically.  Jews started to return after being  chased out in 70 CE by the Roman attack that contained threats of not to return or face death.  

Why are the Jews always blamed for everything--the scapegoat of the world?  It started in the Greek days and have never stopped with Hellenism.  Christianity picked it up and added polish and spit.  This new religion did not help any Jews even though  Jesus was said to be Jewish.  As they saw it in those days, reason enough to kill Jews.  

It's taken over 2,000 years for people of this age to accept Jews, and now they have created anti-Semitism again even as bad as Germany had it before WWII.   In this new land of United States which is only 250 years old to finally accept Jews and secure them as 1st class citizens in 2026 is the greatest blessing  for our USA celebration.  It's been a struggle, but this land has been unique in many ways.  Thanks,  oh young USA.  

 Reference

israelAM

The October 7th Massacre Lingers On

 Nadene Goldfoot                                       

The aftermath, Israeli volunteer medics reveal never-before-told stories of battling Hamas, rushing to save lives on Oct. 7: ‘Like a scene out of the Walking Dead’

The October 7 attacks were a series of coordinated armed incursions from the blockaded Gaza Strip into the Gaza envelope of southern Israel, carried out by Hamas and several other Palestinian militant groups in 2023, during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah.  

How an ultra-Orthodox Jew saved 50 Israelis on ‘Black Shabbat’ Here are people hiding under beds??The assault, which took place on Shabbat—the day of rest for the Jewish people—instantly became known among Israelis and the world as “Black Saturday.” On October 7, Trey Yingst was on the ground along the Gaza border and witnessed firsthand the devastation, shock, and deep sorrow that whirled through Israel.

The attacks, which began the ongoing Gaza war, were the first large-scale invasion of Israeli territory since the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In response, Israel launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza.  .There has been a backlash against Israel for doing so.  

The 2023 attack was so vicious, so bloody, so gory and unbelievable that such things could happen in 2023, that Israel was left stunned.  They had thought that their electric fences had been enough protection and the atmosphere was good at the time.  Palestinians were coming into their homes to work, everything was kol b'seder.

According to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) report that revised the estimate on the number of attackers, 6,000 Gazans breached the border in 119 locations into Israel, including 3,800 from the elite Nukhba forces and 2,200 civilians and other militants. Additionally, the IDF report estimated 1,000 Gazans fired rockets from the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of participants on Hamas's side to 7,000.

In total, 1,195 people were killed by the attacks: at least 828 civilians (including 36 children and 71 foreign nationals)and at least 367 members of the security forces. 

364 civilians were killed while they were attending the Nova music festival and many more wounded. About 250 Israeli and non-Israeli civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip. Dozens of cases of rape and sexual assault reportedly occurred, but Hamas officials denied the involvement of their fighters. As of January 26, 2026, all 251 hostages abducted from Israel on October 7, 2023, have been accounted for: 168 were returned alive to Israel throughout the conflict, while the remaining captives were either killed in captivity, rescued deceased, or died during the initial attack. The final body of a hostage was recovered by the IDF on January 26, 2026.

So, Yesterday, May 4th,  the IDF eliminated a Hamas Nukbah commander who had participated in the October 7 massacre, in northern Gaza. The IDF stressed that the terrorist posed an imminent threat to troops operating in the Gaza Strip and was eliminated in a precise aerial strike. The IDF also noted that before the strike, multiple measures were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance. They always have done this before, trying to fight Terrorists and not civilians.  Now they try to pinpoint commanders, etc.  who are on their list.  

The concept that those who attack Israel will face divine retribution, often described as "heavy stone" judgment or severe punishment, is a frequently cited theme in biblical prophecy, particularly in the Book of Zechariah. It highlights a promise of protection for Israel, with a warning that opposing them results in self-destructive consequences.

Resource:

israelAM

AI

https://cbst.org/latest/simchattorah2023/