By Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
We encourage our readers to follow the links below to the stories that attract their interest.
INTERNATIONAL
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will discuss with U.S. President Donald Trump the danger posed by Iran’s ballistic missile and renewed nuclear programs. At the two leaders’ upcoming meeting at the end of this month, Netanyahu will suggest joint action to eliminate the threat, according to a story in The Times of Israel.
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Haaretz reports that the U.S. has proposed a $112.1 billion plan to rebuild Gaza over a 20-year period, with the U.S. picking up 20 percent of the tab. The proposal has been dubbed “Project Sunrise.”
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Chabad Rabbi Avraham Feldman and his wife Mushky were joined by Iceland’s Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir in a Chanukah menorah lighting amid tight security following news of the Bondi Beach massacre earlier in the day, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. Her participation is made more significant because Iceland is among the bloc of anti-Israel nations that are boycotting the Eurovision competition next year because Israeli competitors are not excluded.
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a news conference on Saturday that a “fair version” of a peace deal with Russia “would mean that Russian forces would ‘stay’ in the temporarily occupied parts of Donetsk and Lihansk oblasts, which Ukraine would later reclaim through diplomacy,” it was reported by Ukrainska Pravda.
NATIONAL
Jonathan Tobin, editor-in-chief of the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), writes that at least three factors may be at play in Vice President JD Vance’s signaling young antisemites that he’s on their side—or at least doesn’t openly oppose them”: Vance’s friendship with influential podcaster Tucker Carlson, polls showing growing hatred for Jews and Israel among the younger Republican demographic; and “similar to the leadership of the Democratic Party, he has come to the conclusion that it’s good politics.”
STATE & LOCAL
San Diego County Assessor Jordan Z. Marks has arranged for a six-foot chanukiah to be illuminated outside the County Administration Building, 1600 Pacific Highway, in a noon ceremony on Monday, Dec 22, that is projected to last 90 minutes. Confirmed speakers include County Supervisors Monica Montgomery Steppe and Joel Anderson, Sheriff Kelly Martinez, District Attorney Summer Stephen, and County Human Relations Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez, according to a press release. Marks commented: “This Rally for Light on the last day of Chanukah is to bring together County elected leaders and the community to demonstrate our unwavering spirit and commitment to fighting antisemitism and all hate. It’s crucial that we stand together to spread light, unity, and resilience.”
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The San Diego Union-Tribune in Saturday morning’s edition published these stories of direct Jewish interest:
Page 1 — “Agency releases trove of files on Epstein” –The New York Times news service said the photos were notable in that they focused on former President Bill Clinton who, like President Donald J. Trump, has not been accused of doing anything improper. Also, a 119-page document from the New York Grand Jury was completely redacted.
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Page 3 – “Australia announces plan to buy back guns” – The New York Times news service reported that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government will buy back guns and propose legislation to limit the number of guns an individual may possess. Also, Australians were to observe a national minute of silence at 6:47 p.m. on Sunday, the time the shooting at Bondi Beach occurred. (That’s 6:47 p.m. Saturday on the U.S. side of the International Date Line.)
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Page 3 – “Famine in Gaza Strip said to be averted” – An Associated Press story contrasted a report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) with Israel’s agency responsible for administration of the territories (COGAT) and Israel’s Foreign Ministry. IPC said 2,000 Gazans face starvation through next April. The Israelis said that figure doesn’t reflect reality.
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Page 3 – “EU loan helps Ukraine avoid budget crunch” – As reported yesterday in this column, European leaders agreed to loan Ukraine the equivalent of $105 billion over the next two years. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was quoted in the Associated Press report as saying “ … we have financial support and therefore, we will not collapse on the front line.”
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Page 4 – “Stefanik ends her bid for N.Y. governor” – The Associated Press reported that Congresswoman Elise Stefanik pulled out of the New York State governor’s race and also announced she would not seek reelection to her congressional seat. That left Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman as the leading Republican candidate bidding to defeat Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Page B-6 – In its “Drawn and Quartered” collection of political cartoons, three were of direct Jewish interest. One by Dave Whamond of PoliticalCartoons.com had Rob Reiner & Michele Singer Reiner saying to Heaven’s attendant “Cloud 9 sounds nice but do you have any that go to eleven” and the attendant answering “As you wish…” Nick Anderson of the Tribune Content Agency had President Trump claiming “Rob Reiner’s death is about Me!” then listing a series of other controversial claims and ending with an assertion that “Everything is about me. ME. ME. ME!! Except the Epstein files. Those are about Democrats.” .. A third cartoon of Jewish interest was another by Nick Anderson. A cargo plane is shown flying over the ocean, dumping thousands of documents. A voice inside the plane asks “The Epstein files?” and another voice responds, “We’re releasing them as we speak!”
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World