The Fragile Ceasefire “Agreement”
Deutsche Welle reported on May 21:
“Both sides in the fighting hailed the cease-fire as a win.
“A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the offensive in Gaza yielded ‘significant achievements […] some of which are unprecedented.’ Some right-wing figures in Israel accused Netanyahu of ending the conflict too soon, with the conflict ending inconclusively. In a speech later on Friday, the prime minister said that Israel would respond with ‘a new level of force against any expression of aggression against communities around Gaza and any other part of Israel.’’
“A Hamas official told a rally in Gaza that the cease-fire was a ‘victory for the Palestinian people’…
“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who visited Israel and Ramallah on Thursday, welcomed the truce… ‘Now we have to deal with the causes, rebuild trust and find a solution to the Middle East conflict,’ he said…
“Tensions began earlier this month when several Palestinian families living in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah were threatened with eviction from their homes. Jewish settlers claim the properties were owned by Jews prior to 1948. Israel postponed the court hearing on the case in order to defuse tensions. The situation escalated further when Israeli security forces dispersed worshippers at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem [due to the violence of Muslim worshippers].
“Last week, Hamas threatened to fire rockets at Israel, unless Israeli forces left the Temple Mount. Israel refused to have its troops vacate the premises. Hamas then launched rockets towards Jerusalem. In response, the Israeli military launched an offensive against Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli military called the operation against Hamas ‘Guardian of the Walls,’ a reference to Jerusalem. Hamas called its attacks against Israel ‘Sword of Jerusalem.’ The fighting was the worst between the two sides since a 50-day war in 2014…”
In a related article, Deutsche Welle wrote on May 21:
“Fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday. The unrest occurred after Friday prayers at the mosque compound, just hours after an Egypt-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hamas came into effect in Gaza after almost two weeks of fighting… Clashes between police and protesters at the mosque compound had been a key factor in starting the conflict between Hamas and the Israeli military…
“A spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas, said on the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television channel: ‘The decision to resume rocket attacks on Israel remains an option.’
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday described Israel’s 11-day bombardment of Palestinian armed groups in Gaza as an ‘exceptional success. We achieved our goals in the operation,’ Netanyahu said, adding that ‘the public doesn’t know everything’ about Israel’s gains in the operation ‘and neither does Hamas.’
“Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya called the Gaza cease-fire ‘a victory’’ for the militant group. Al-Hayya claims Israel failed to destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure, and says the group’s fighters are still ‘striding proudly’’ in the underground tunnels.”
The Algemeiner wrote on May 23:
“Israel will preemptively strike at Hamas targets if it is determined that the Gaza terrorist group is preparing to launch rockets, a top Likud minister said. [Israel’s new security doctrine] will include the ability for the Israeli military to not wait until after rockets are fired to conduct strikes if it is determined that Hamas is restocking its rocket arsenal and preparing to attack… He also would not rule out conquering Gaza to remove Hamas from power, but only as a last resort because of the high cost of a ground invasion.”
Times of Israel added on May 21:
“Thousands of people demonstrate[d] in Jordan to celebrate the ‘victory of the resistance’ against Israel… Responding to a call by the Muslim Brotherhood, some 10,000 people… gathered… near the border with the Israeli-occupied West Bank… Demonstrators carr[ied] Jordanian and Palestinian flags and chanted ‘death to Israel’ and ‘let’s trade the olive branch for the gun.’ … many youths dressed in Jordanian and Palestinian keffiyeh scarves burned Israeli flags and chanted slogans against the peace deal…”
Similar antisemitic and Hitler-admiring demonstrations took place in London over the weekend.
“… until al-Aqsa Is Liberated”
The Times of Israel wrote on May 21:
“Hamas terror chief Ismail Haniyeh… thanked Iran for the funds and weaponry it has provided to the Strip. ‘This battle has destroyed the project of “coexistence” with the Israeli occupation, of the project “normalization” with Israel,’ Haniyeh said…, apparently referring to the widespread clashes between Israeli Arabs and Jews and Israel’s recent peace agreements with four Arab nations… ‘This is a divine victory…This harsh blow will leave a deep impact on [Israel],’ Haniyeh said, later adding: ‘Praise to you, God, for this blessed, awesome victory.’
“… Haniyeh also vowed to continue to focus on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount ‘until Al-Aqsa Mosque is liberated.’ …”
Israel 365 wrote on May 23:
“On Friday, a brushfire crept up the southern slope of the Temple Mount, threatening the Aqsa Mosque. Though the cause of the fire is unknown, Arab violence inside Israel, most especially in Jerusalem, increased on Friday as the ceasefire with Hamas took effect. Arson is frequently used by Arab terrorists to attack the land of Israel and the Temple Mount, which the uninformed believe is revered by Muslims… Two weeks ago, on Jerusalem Day, Arab rioters set a tree on fire that was adjacent to the Aqsa Mosque.”
But why would Arab terrorists who are determined to “liberate” the al-Aqsa mosque try to set it on fire? Perhaps by blaming the Jews and in order to provoke a hostile confrontation and gain support of the international community?
Anti-Israel and Antisemitism
Israel Today wrote on May 21:
“…the thin line between anti-Israel and antisemitism seems to always be crossed… Protesters shouting ‘Jews, remember Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning,’ were recorded in rallies being held in Europe. Increasing numbers of antisemitic attacks have also been reported in the US..
“Remarkably, the current wave of antisemitism is not present among your average citizens alone. International diplomats have been filmed spreading antisemitic tropes as well…
“Israel is portrayed as a villain by the mere fact of possessing more military might than Hamas.
“… While the disparity in numbers of casualties is vital, acts of violence themselves are given far less attention. It seems to matter less that almost all of Hamas’s more than 4,000 rockets were aimed at civilian population centers and not military targets. Each one of those is a severe war crime according to international law and carried the potential of harming non-combatant Israelis. The fact that Israel has advanced technology that is highly successful in intercepting those rockets does not make the act of violence itself less severe…
“One lesson from the global reaction to this conflict, whether we are talking about power disparity or antisemitism, is that there is increasing pressure to choose one side, giving them unconditional support—either for Israel or for the Palestinians—and to vilify the other. We need to come to a point where we can recognize the pain and suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians…”
In a related article, Israel Today wrote on May 21:
“Hamas and its supporters are not just fighting the State of Israel, but the Jewish people as a whole… if the… images of victory celebrations tell you anything it’s that this will most definitely not be the last Gaza war. Hamas has convinced too many people that despite the heavy cost, they ‘won,’ and can do so again.”
The Times of Israel added on May 21:
“There has been a ‘dangerous and drastic surge’ in antisemitism in the US, and around the world, in recent days linked to the fighting between Israel and terror groups in the Gaza Strip, the Anti-Defamation League said… ‘It’s happening around the world— from London to Los Angeles, from France to Florida, in big cities like New York and in small towns, and across every social media platform.’
“The ADL said it has documented antisemitism on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram, with messages including explicit praise for Hitler, promoting tropes about Jewish control and demonizing all Jews. The group said extreme antisemitic and anti-Zionist content can be found across a wide variety of channels calling for the destruction of the Jewish state…The ADL says it found more than 17,000 tweets using variations of the phrase, ‘Hitler was right’ between May 7 and May 14, 2021…
“The Israeli Consulate in New York on Friday said the wave of protests was more violent than previously seen in the area, even when tensions were high. ‘The demonstrations are larger, more toxic, and unfortunately also more violent. There is a direct connection between Hamas’ stated agenda which is sworn to Israel’s destruction and the slogans of the demonstrators that undermine the legitimacy of Israel as the Jewish nation-state,’ the consulate said in a statement.”
The Curse for Appeasing Iran
Israel 365 wrote on May 21:
“Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo harshly criticized the Biden administration for its blatant efforts to appease Iran by going out of its way to avoid explicitly stating the Islamic regime’s involvement in the Hamas terror group’s firing of more than 4,000 rockets at Israeli civilians from its base in the Gaza Strip…
“Pompeo noted that Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy in Lebanon on Israel’s northern border, is a ‘real risk’ to security, as it has ‘enormous amounts of precision-guided munitions,’ and is ‘watching closely’ and ‘performing their own strategic calculation as well. According to Pompeo, ‘the isolation of Iran led to deterrence. Now, Iran is sitting in Vienna. They know they will get billions of dollars…’”
Democratic Party Divided over Israel
Fox News reported on May 21:
“President Biden said that there has been ‘no shift’ in his commitment to Israel and that the Democratic Party still supports the Jewish state, despite heated and sometimes vitriolic criticism of Israel over the past ten days by progressives… He again called for a two-state solution in the region…
“Press secretary Jen Psaki had offered a similar sentiment hours earlier. She said the White House has ‘no plans’ to alter security assistance to Israel, as progressives came down hard against a $735 million arms sale to the Jewish state and the billions allotted in foreign aid each year… Sen. Bernie Sanders… introduced a resolution Thursday to force a vote on whether to block the weapons sale to Israel. Progressive ‘Squad’ members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., introduced similar legislation in the House…
“Last Friday, 140 progressive groups, including Justice Democrats, Sunrise Movement, MoveOn and the Working Families Party, released a joint statement condemning Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Black Lives Matter declared ‘solidarity with Palestinians’ this week… The Democratic Socialists of America issued a statement of support for Palestinians last week, condemning the ‘ongoing ethnic cleansing’ it suggests Israel is engaged in.”
Israel 365 wrote on May 23:
“‘Bipartisan support for Israel has been a hallmark of American politics for decades. Mainstream America continues to strongly support Israel, but these numbers reveal a shocking new trend among Democrats. Increasing majorities actually blame the Jewish State for the current violence, rather than Hamas and Iran, who are openly anti-Semitic, genocidal and celebrate the killing of civilians,’ said Mark Meckler, President of Convention of States Action. ‘Senator Schumer and Speaker Pelosi have lost control of their party, as extremists like Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep Ilhan Omar, and Sen Bernie Sanders—and their supporters—are now leading a far-left foreign policy agenda in which state-sponsored terrorism, anti-Semitism, and genocide are in and representative democracy and human rights are out.’”
Grand Jury to Decide Trump’s Fate
MSN wrote on May 25:
“Manhattan’s [Democratic] district attorney has convened the grand jury that is expected to decide whether to indict former president Donald Trump, other executives at his company or the business itself should prosecutors present the panel with criminal charges… The panel was convened recently and will sit three days a week for six months. It is likely to hear several matters — not just the Trump case — during the duration of its term…
“The move indicates that District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.’s investigation of the former president and his business has reached an advanced stage after more than two years. It suggests, too, that Vance believes he has found evidence of a crime — if not by Trump then by someone potentially close to him or by his company… His investigators are scrutinizing Trump’s business practices before he was president, including whether the value of specific properties in the Trump Organization’s real estate portfolio were manipulated in a way that defrauded banks and insurance companies, and if any tax benefits were obtained illegally through unscrupulous asset valuation. The district attorney also is examining the compensation provided to top Trump Organization executives, people familiar with the matter have said.
“In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Trump called the grand jury seating ‘a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American history.’ ‘This is purely political, and an affront to the almost 75 million voters who supported me in the Presidential Election, and it’s being driven by highly partisan Democrat prosecutors,’ Trump said. ‘Our Country is broken, our elections are rigged, corrupt, and stolen, our prosecutors are politicized, and I will just have to keep on fighting like I have been for the last five years!’…
“Trump has never been criminally charged. No former U.S. president has ever been charged with a crime.”
Vance works together with Attorney General Letitia James, another Democrat. It surely appears that the Democratic “witch hunt” against Trump is continuing. But it might backfire, as it did with previous attempts.
Dictatorial Fascist Regulations in Oregon
The Ron Paul Institute republished an article by Jordan Schachtel on May 21, which originally appeared in “The Dossier”:
“If you want to participate in Oregon society without being forced to wear a mask, you better have your paperwork in order. The state is now requiring individuals to display ‘proof of vaccination’ if they’d like to take their masks off indoors, Oregon’s Health Authority has announced. In rejecting the more practical and individual liberty embracing “honor system” approach that we’ve seen across the United States, the authorities in Salem are taking the fascist policy route…
“Oregon finally ended its outdoor mask mandate, a full year and a half into Covid Mania. And in exchange for ‘granting’ systems the freedom to breathe fresh air, they will now be forced to show ‘proof of vaccination’ if they want to participate in society… It would be worth seriously debating the merits of this authoritarian insanity if in fact Oregon could demonstrate that they were ‘following the science’ on this issue, but it’s clear that this order has nothing to do with science, and everything to do with power and control…
“First and foremost, there is no comprehensive trial that shows masks actually work at preventing COVID-19, so the premise for the mask policy is false. There is no evidence that cloth masks help stop the spread of a submicroscopic infectious particle. In fact, there is more evidence demonstrating that masks may act as a vector for disease transmission.
“Second, if vaccines work to protect people from serious outcomes related to COVID-19, what exactly is the point of demanding that businesses force customers to show their vaccine papers?… If the vaccine protects individuals from people who choose not to take the COVID-19 vaccine, then there is no particular threat to anyone but those who choose to opt out. There is zero science behind the idea of a COVID-19 vaccine passport.
“It seems that the next steps for Oregon are obvious. That may come in the form of a more streamlined digital vaccine passport system, as we’ve seen in places like New York and Hawaii… Another side effect of this fascistic dystopian policy is the reality that people will be encouraged to wear their ‘vaccine credentials’ to complement their mask, as a ‘practical measure’ to be allowed entry into a business. It will be understood as the ultimate virtue signal, and a sign of complete obedience to authority, should Oregonians have both a mask on and a vaccine card readily on display.
“With the corrupt policies being pursued by the authorities in statewide office, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that not everyone in the state is thrilled with the policies being pushed by Salem. On Tuesday, 5 Oregon counties voted in favor of leaving the state and becoming part of Idaho.”
The RIGHT to REFUSE
Newsmax wrote on May 23:
“Having already contracted COVID-19, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he is not going to get vaccination for the virus, because he already has developed natural immunity. ‘Until they show me evidence that people who have already had the infection are dying in large numbers, or being hospitalized or getting very sick, I just made my own personal decision that I’m not getting vaccinated because I’ve already had the disease and I have natural immunity,’ Paul [said]…
“Scientists have speculated – without empirical evidence – the immunity to the virus might not last after six months. Still, Paul, both an ophthalmologist and one of Congress’ stout conservative thinkers, defended one’s right to refuse being vaccinated. ‘In a free country you would think people would honor the idea that each individual would get to make the medical decision, that it wouldn’t be a Big Brother coming to tell me what I have to do,’ Paul [said].
He is absolutely right. But Big Brother’s propaganda and autocratic governmental measures will increase.
The Pressure and Incentives for Vaccinations
CBS News wrote on May 25:
“Half of adult Americans have received all of their COVID-19 vaccine doses, according to figures published Tuesday by the CDC… the nationwide pace of people receiving their first dose has slowly picked up, after plummeting to a record low last month not seen since the earliest weeks of the COVID-19 vaccination effort in January.
“State and local health officials have attributed part of the recent uptick to a flood of interest from parents seeking to vaccinate their children, following federal health officials clearing Pfizer’s shots for recipients as young as 12 earlier this month. Moderna said Tuesday that it will also seek emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration to give its COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents age 12 and up, after data indicated the shot had high efficacy at preventing the illness in teens.
“White House officials also praised efforts by state governments and businesses to boost vaccinations in recent weeks, like multiple states’ decisions to award millions in lottery prizes for vaccinated residents. The inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services also told providers this week that hospitals likely would not run afoul of federal ‘kickback’ laws if they offered rewards for patients getting their COVID-19 vaccine.
“However, the CDA’s data still shows nine states — Georgia, Idaho, Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi — have yet to record even a first dose for more than half of their adult residents. Nearly 40% of Americans overall have not begun even their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the data…
“Meanwhile, calls have grown for the U.S. to speed sharing its surplus of COVID-19 vaccine doses abroad. At the World Health Assembly on Monday, the World Health Organization’s director-general criticized countries that were vaccinating children and low-risk residents ‘at the expense of health workers and high-risk groups in other countries.’”
The propaganda and pressure of the mass media and the US federal and state governments is just sickening. But it’s not just happening in the USA.. far from it. Note the next article.
Greetings from “New Normal” Germany
On May 26, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by C.J. Hopkins, which originally appeared in “Consent Factory”:
“On April 1, 1933, shortly after Hitler was appointed chancellor, the Nazis staged a boycott of Jewish businesses in Germany. Members of the Storm Troopers… stood around outside of Jewish-owned stores with Gothic-lettered placards reading ‘Germans! Defend yourselves! Do not buy from Jews!’ The boycott itself was a total disaster — most Germans ignored it and just went on with their lives — but it was the beginning of the official persecution of the Jews and totalitarianism in Nazi Germany.
“Last week, here in ‘New Normal’ Germany, the government… implemented a social-segregation system that bans anyone who refuses to publicly conform to the official ‘New Normal’ ideology from participating in German society. From now on, only those who have an official ‘vaccination pass’ or proof of a negative PCR test are allowed to sit down and eat at restaurants, shop at ‘non-essential’ stores, or go to bars, or the cinema, or wherever…
“The fact that the vast majority of Germans clicked their heels and started mindlessly following orders, like they did in Nazi Germany, the moment the ‘New Normal’ was introduced last year doesn’t mean that all Germans are fascists by nature. Most Americans did the same thing. So did the British, the Australians, the Spanish, the French, the Canadians, and a long list of others. It’s just that, well, I happen to live here, so I’ve watched as Germany has been transformed into “New Normal Germany” up close and personal, and it has definitely made an impression on me.
“The ease with which the German authorities implemented the new official ideology, and how fanatically it has been embraced by the majority of Germans, came as something of a shock. I had naively believed that, in light of their history, the Germans would be among the first to recognize a nascent totalitarian movement predicated on textbook Goebbelsian Big Lies… and would resist it en masse, or at least take a moment to question the lies their leaders were hysterically barking at them.
“I couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Here we are, over a year later, and waiters and shop clerks are ‘checking papers’ to enforce compliance with the new official ideology…”
Very sad indeed… but in total line with biblical prophecy…
Who Gives Europe the Authority?
Express wrote on May 21:
“BRUSSELS’ plot to issue guidance on future health crises across the world has sparked outrage in the UK.
“EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was launching a ‘Global Health Policy Forum’ this morning, as she delivered a speech in Rome for the G20 health summit… The boasting statement sparked the fury of former Brexit Party MEP Martin Daubney who questioned the EU executive leader’s authority on matters of health after her poor handling of the bloc’s vaccination strategy. He blasted: ‘What gives the EU authority on “Global Health Policy” when their last response to global health was to blockade vaccine exports to the UK and Australia?’
“Earlier this year, the Commission threatened the UK with a ban on vaccine exports and Italy blocked a shipment of jabs reserved for Australia. Leaders of the world’s largest economies kicked off a global health summit on Friday, where drugmakers were expected to promise cut-price supplies of vaccines for poorer nations to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Group of 20 nations looked set to call for voluntary licensing and technology transfers to enable a rapid increase in vaccine production, but will sidestep a push from the United States and other nations to waive valuable patents for shots. The European Union also promised to set up vaccination manufacturing hubs in Africa, which faces a dearth of doses…
“Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said in an opening speech: ‘As we prepare for the next pandemic, our priority must be to ensure that we all overcome the current one together. We must vaccinate the world, and do it fast.’… An array of leaders, including the presidents of China, India, France and South Africa, are due to address the meeting along with the heads of multinational organisations, the US philanthropist Bill Gates and numerous health experts. However, US President Joe Biden was not listed among the speakers, organisers said…”
The Bible makes very clear who is giving Europe its authority.
Europe’s Fight for “Peace”
The Guardian wrote on May 19:
“The EU was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2012 in recognition of ‘six decades of promoting peace and reconciliation’ in Europe. In his acceptance speech in Oslo, the then president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, said the world could ‘count on our efforts to fight for lasting peace, freedom and justice’. Yet less than a decade on, the EU is taking two big steps to bolster its defence capacity and engage in military conflicts through training and equipping governments outside the bloc. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic these developments have slipped under the radar, but they represent a significant expansion in security policy with wide-ranging consequences.
“An €8bn (£6.9bn) European defence fund (EDF), aimed at developing and acquiring new weapons and technology for militaries within the EU and abroad, was agreed last December. The EU also recently launched the European peace facility (EPF), a mechanism that will boost the bloc’s ability to provide training and equipment – including, for the first time, weapons – to non-European military forces around the world. France and Germany, the commission, and a majority of MEPs have pushed for these tools to boost European power abroad. They point to conflicts in the Middle East, the Sahel and Ukraine, and the more isolationist direction the US took under the Trump administration, as justification…
“But a vociferous network of peace activists, critical MEPs and campaigners accuses the EU of abandoning its founding principles and giving in to lobbying from the arms industry for more public funding…”
Good Relations between EU and Vatican
Vatican News wrote on May 22:
“During their private meeting, Pope Francis and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted the good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the European Union, including the initiatives underway to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations… Both leaders… looked at… issues of common interest, such as the social consequences of the pandemic, and the topics of migration, climate change, and recent developments in the Middle East.
“Von der Leyen [said:]
“The relations between the Holy See, the Vatican, and the European Union are excellent. And 50 years this shows how much we are like-minded. The good cooperation is basically based on sharing the same values…”
More than 50 years ago, the Treaty of Rome was signed, on March 25, 1957.
Europe’s Own Destination
Politico wrote on May 25:
“… some leaders took note of the fact that the Biden White House had not given them any formal heads up before the announcement on Monday that a deal had been reached to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva next month. A discussion at the EU summit on Tuesday about the coronavirus pandemic also touched on Biden’s proposal to lift patent protections for vaccines — an announcement that blindsided European leaders and drew questions and criticism, including from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said the move would not quickly increase vaccine production…
“There is little doubt transatlantic relations are vastly improved since the departure of Trump, who took pleasure in berating European allies… Last week, Brussels and Washington reached a deal to prevent an escalation on June 1 of the EU’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made motorcycles, bourbon and other products that were imposed in response to Trump’s tariffs on European steel and aluminum. The sides said they were ready to begin discussions to address global excess steel capacity….
“But European leaders have also bristled at the presumption among Biden administration officials that EU allies will dutifully follow Washington’s lead. For instance, NATO allies complained that they were given little advance warning once Biden had made a decision on a full withdrawal from Afghanistan by September 11, after he took months to ponder his plans.
“And there was strong pushback against the patent waiver idea among leaders at another EU summit in Portugal earlier this month. EU officials said it doesn’t help that more than four months after Biden’s inauguration, the president still has not nominated an ambassador to the EU or to NATO….
“All of this has contributed to a sense in some EU capitals, including Paris, that the EU must demonstrate strategic independence — a sentiment that will frame some of the discussions at next month’s summit of G7 leaders in the U.K. and a NATO leaders’ summit in Brussels.
“… the EU felt no obligation to touch base with the White House before announcing its measures against Belarus and the country’s strongman president, Alexander Lukashenko. ‘They didn’t tell us that they were going to announce their summit with Putin,’ [an EU] official said. ‘Why should we talk to them first before reacting to something that happened in our own backyard?’
“EU legal services and other officials are now scrambling to develop specific proposals for new sanctions against Belarus, including identifying ‘entities’ — likely government-owned or controlled corporations — that can be targeted because they had a role in the forced landing of the Ryanair jet and the arrest of the political opposition activist Roman Protasevich…
“After the summit on Tuesday, Merkel noted that the EU unity on responding to Belarus highlighted continuing disagreements among the 27 member countries over relations and policy toward Russia. If EU countries can’t find consensus among themselves, it’s hard to expect full agreement with Washington, London, Ottawa or Tokyo, other diplomats said.
“Another senior official said those inevitable differences were a reason for Europe to chart its own path… ‘Transatlantic relationships can add the United States and others of course. But it’s important also to have our own vision of Europe in the short term, the mid term, the long term when it comes to our priorities.’”
This vision includes the inevitable development of a Europe with two speeds… and the rise of a core Europe of ten nations or groups of nations.
Empowering Germany
Express wrote on May 26:
“JOE Biden’s decision to waive sanctions against the company constructing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will simply ‘empower’ Germany in its ambition to create a European army, a Tory MP has claimed. Daniel Kawczynski said there was increasing concern among his colleagues about the controversial project, which will bring liquified gas directly from Germany to Russia, and which critics claims runs counter to the principles of both the European Union and NATO. Speaking yesterday, Mr Biden said he decided not to impose sanctions because the project was almost complete, and doing so could have harmed ties with Europe.
“Mr Kawczysnki, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, a persistent critic of the project, [said:] ‘I think we had seen with Belarus what the Russian axis is capable of, even jeopardising the lives of passengers by hijacking an aircraft… ‘I think it’s a terrible mistake, because this will empower Germany to continue to implement various policies which are out of kilter with NATO, and their determination to create a single European army is going to be the great threat and challenge that we will have to face… The timing and conduct of the new administration in America is, I am afraid, very irresponsible.’
“… The project, now about 95 percent complete, would bypass Ukraine, depriving it of lucrative transit fees and potentially undermining its struggle against Russian aggression.”
Biden said he was greatly concerned about the pipeline, but felt he had to waive sanctions.
Switzerland Pulls the Plug
Politico wrote on May 26:
“Switzerland on Wednesday pulled the plug on years-long efforts to sign a landmark partnership agreement with the EU, handing a major defeat to the European Commission and risking a deterioration of economic ties. The decision by the Swiss Federal Council to end talks with Brussels, which had been ongoing since 2014, means that both sides won’t be able to upgrade a patchwork of bilateral treaties covering issues ranging from trade over transport to medical devices — some of which are almost 50 years old. In statements, Brussels warned that these bilateral deals ‘will inevitably age,’ and threatened that without the broader partnership treaty, ‘no new agreements with Switzerland will be concluded and the existing agreements may not be updated.’
“The tense reaction indicates that relations with the Alpine state are heading for turbulence. There’s plenty at stake: Switzerland is the EU’s fourth-largest trading partner, while Switzerland trades more with the EU than anyone else.
“In the health sector, the Swiss decision will even have an immediate impact. By coincidence, a mutual recognition agreement for medical devices expired on Wednesday, meaning it will be more complicated for manufacturers to trade such devices between the EU and Switzerland…
“Politically, the Swiss rejection of the agreement deals a huge blow to the Commission, which has been heavily investing at the highest level to make the deal work — first under former Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and then his successor Ursula von der Leyen, who both personally took charge of the file…
“Finally, the failure to finalize the agreement means that Swiss airlines have less access to the EU aviation market, with equal restrictions for EU carriers on the Swiss market….”
The Church of God has never believed that Switzerland would become a part of core Europe. In addition, Ursula von der Leyen’s poor performance throughout her tenure as the EU Commission President strongly suggests the urgent need for a replacement.
Further Travel Restrictions…
Breitbart wrote on May 22:
“Germany has banned non-essential travel from the United Kingdom over ‘concern’ of the Indian variant of the coronavirus, as cases of the strain spike by 80 per cent in London. On Friday, the German Embassy announced that the United Kingdom has been ‘classified as an area of variant of concern’, putting into effect from Sunday, May 23rd, a travel ban on non-essential journeys. The ban does not apply to German citizens, legal residents, or their legal partners, spouses, or minor children. All others will need a reason deemed essential…
“The move comes after Spain lifted restrictions for British travellers to coincide with their tourism season. The freedom of travel will come into effect on Monday. However, both Spain and Germany are on the British government’s ‘amber’ list, meaning that travellers returning from those countries must self-isolate at home for ten days [or two weeks, see the next article] and take two post-journey coronavirus tests. Travellers must also take a pre-departure test for the virus.”
The Guardian added:
“As of midnight on 23 May, people travelling to Germany from Great Britain and Northern Ireland may only enter the country if they are a German citizen or resident. Spouses and children under 18 of a German citizen or resident can also enter, as long as the household are travelling together.
“Those with an urgent humanitarian reason such as an immediate family bereavement are also able to enter. However, anyone entering the country from the UK must quarantine for two weeks on arrival, even if they test negative for the coronavirus.
“People who are only transferring from one flight to another will still be allowed in but they must remain in the airport transit area.”
Fox News wrote on May 22:
“This week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tweeted that the land border closure for non-essential travel between the U.S. and both Canada and Mexico has been extended through June 21… Those restrictions were first put in place at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020… officials have extended the restrictions on a monthly basis. Though it is unclear when the restrictions would be lifted, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested this week that it could be until at least 75% of Canadians are vaccinated…
“Canada requires travelers flying into the country to have a negative COVID-19 test within three days of their departure and again when they arrive. Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said he hopes restrictions between the U.S. and Mexico are lifted before summer is over…”
Will this insanity EVER end?
Russia’s End Goal
The New York Post wrote on May 21:
“Russia will ‘knock out the teeth’ of any foreign adversary that challenges its sovereignty over any territory it claims, President Vladimir Putin warned amid escalating tensions with America. Putin… declined to call out any adversary or territory by name. However, his blunt threat came less than one day after his top diplomat, Sergey Lavrov, clashed with his American counterpart, Secretary of State Tony Blinken, at a tense summit over the issue of the Arctic.
“Russia is massing a formidable array of military weapons in the Arctic — including the Poseidon 2M39, a stealth nuclear-powered torpedo that has been dubbed the ‘super-weapon.’… Moscow continues to flex its military muscle in Ukraine and in the Black Sea — alongside its warning to the US to back off, which caused President Biden to turn two US warships around in April that were headed there…
“Since the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, Russia has supported pro-Russian insurgents in neighboring republics — including shoring up allied breakaway states in Georgia and Moldova. Putin presided over the annexation of Crimea in 2014 without Ukraine’s consent in a rare present-day boundary change by force.
“Russian troop deployments are often murky, but Putin’s government is believed to have deployed troops to Crimea to facilitate the 2014 annexation and to have secretly supported a pair of breakaway provinces in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. The Kremlin has continued to increase its military presence in the region, specifically with its naval ships in the Black Sea.
“In addition to the heightened aggression at sea, top Pentagon officials briefed lawmakers last month on suspected ‘directed-energy’ attacks against US troops, potentially by Russia. Directed-energy weapons use lasers, microwaves and particle beams to hit and destroy their target.”
The Unethical Ways of the Press
Fox News and The Associated Press reported on May 22:
“Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is weighing in after it was revealed that Martin Bashir used ‘deceitful behavior’ to secure his controversial interview with the late Princess Diana in 1995… ‘The press doesn’t understand that their unethical ways and means of covering and characterizing their victims can destroy a person or a family, and less importantly a career,’ she continued. ‘Martin has been caught so many times engaging in typically unethical press behavior, yet is always embraced back in their fold. These are strange “professionals” that we deal with in the press, and I’m anxious for the day that consumers of media will rise up and demand truth and justice,’ Palin concluded…
“A 127-page report, released Thursday, concluded Bashir ‘deceived and induced’ Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer, into securing the interview for Panorama… Following the finding, both Prince Harry and Prince William condemned the BBC…
“In the infamous interview, the Princess of Wales said ‘there were three of us in this marriage,’ referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles, who he married after Diana’s death. Diana, who divorced Charles in 1996, died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she was being pursued by paparazzi. She was 36.”
Unscrupulous “journalists” and the left-wing mass media can indeed destroy the reputation of a person.
Assassinations an American Way of Life?
On May 22, the Ron Paul Institute ran an article by Jacob Hornberger, which was originally published by the Future of Freedom Foundation:
“State-sponsored assassinations at the hands of the US government — and specifically the Pentagon and the CIA — have become… fully accepted as part and parcel of American life… It is an omnipotent power that enables the federal government to snuff out a person’s life simply on a determination that he is a communist, a terrorist, a threat to ‘national security,’ or whatever other designation the government establishes.
“The Framers and the American people in 1789 were totally opposed to living under a government that wielded the power of assassination… They believed that the biggest threat to their freedom and well-being lay not with some foreign regime but rather from their very own government. That’s why they chose to live under a government with very few and very limited powers…
“Americans demanded the enactment of the Bill of Rights, which included an express prohibition against assassination within the Fifth Amendment, which reads in part: ‘No person shall be deprived of life without due process of law.’… Thus, under the Fifth Amendment, before the federal government could assassinate someone, it would be required to provide him with formal notice of the offense for which they wish to assassinate him and then guarantee him a trial to determine whether he in fact was guilty of committing the offense… Its protections [under the Fifth Amendment] apply to everyone, not just American citizens. With the Sixth Amendment, the accused could elect to have a jury of ordinary citizens, rather than a judge or tribunal, determine his guilt or innocence…
“After World War II, the federal government was converted into a third type of governmental system — a national-security state. Under this type of government, the federal government — specifically the CIA and the Pentagon — acquired the omnipotent power of assassination. The conversion to a national-security state was justified under the rubric of the Cold War. The idea was that since the Soviet Union and the communist world were able to operate with omnipotent powers, including the power of assassination, the only way to prevent America from being conquered by the communists would be to adopt their same type of governmental structure…
“The conversion to a national-security state was done through legislation, not through constitutional amendment. Nonetheless, owing to the overwhelming and ever-growing power of the national-security establishment — i.e., the military, the CIA, and the NSA — the legislative conversion to a national-security state was held to operate as a nullification of the Fifth Amendment.
“Today, the Pentagon’s and the CIA’s power of assassination is omnipotent. They are the final determiners of whether any particular person is going to have his life snuffed out. Their power of assassination is non-reviewable by any court in the land, including the nation’s highest court, the US Supreme Court….”
Scary. Lawless dictatorship abounds…
Proposed LGBT Hate Crime Bill Polarizes Italy
Politico wrote on May 21:
“A proposed law that would criminalize violence and hate speech against LGBT people in Italy has thrown together an unlikely alliance of opponents. Some feminists and lesbian associations have joined the Catholic church and the political right in opposing a bill that would add gay, transgender people and the disabled to the categories protected by a law punishing religion and race-based hate crimes… Catholic leaders say the so-called Zan bill, named for a Democratic Party lawmaker and gay rights activist Alessandro Zan, amounted to ‘a liberticide,’ with conservatives warning the bill risks criminalizing those who publicly oppose gay marriage or adoptions by gay people…
“The Zan bill was approved in the lower house of parliament last year. But its passage through the upper house, or Senate, for it to become law has been delayed by a change of government and obstruction by the right-wing League, for whom it has become a rallying cry… League leader Matteo Salvini said it was a ‘gagging law’ that risks putting in jail ‘those who think a mom is a mom and a dad is a dad.’
“… Zan said it was regrettable that the left was not united… Despite the setbacks for the bill, there are signs that the proposed Zan law has increased popular support.”
Spain and Germany Reject Extremely Liberal Gender Self-Identification Laws… for now!
Evangelical Focus wrote on May 21:
“In Spain, a majority of the Congress voted on 18 May against the ‘Trans Draft Law’ that was put forward by Catalan party ERC and supported by leftists Podemos. The latter is one of the two coalition government parties, leading the Equality Ministry in charge of Feminist and LGBT issues… The proposed law aimed to allow all citizens above 16 years old to change their sex in official documents without medical or psychological checks to prove suffering gender dysphoria… The law would allow gender transition for minors from the age of 12…
“One day later, on 19 May, the German Bundestag also voted against two gender self-identification proposals. One was presented by the liberal party FDP and the other by the Green Party. Their text included measures such as bringing down the age of gender self-identification to 14…
“These defeats, however, do not close the debate around self-identification. Analysts believe self-identification may soon be on the table again, also in other European countries. The largest political parties in Germany and Spain (both on the centre-right and centre-left) have often expressed their commitment to promote ‘trans rights’, and are usually represented at LGBT Pride events.”
Of course, Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn is openly gay who saw to it that conversion therapies for minors were prohibited even though the parents wanted them.
Judge Sides with Biden’s Transgender Order
Daily Caller wrote on May 20:
“A federal judge ruled Wednesday that students of the opposite biological sex must be allowed to share shower spaces and dorms at a Christian college in Missouri. Judge Roseann Ketchmark of the District Court of Western Missouri ruled against the College of the Ozarks, a Christian college which had sued President Joe Biden’s administration over its transgender discrimination policies, lawyers representing the school said Wednesday evening.
“The college had challenged Biden over his Jan. 20 executive order, which prevented schools from denying children access to bathrooms of their choosing… The school had argued that the government cannot force a private religious school to place biological males into female dormitories… The college faces six-figure fines if it violates the Biden administration’s order.”
This is an outrage!
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.
