Israel’s Right to Exist

 The question of whether Israel exists by "right" is a central, deeply contested issue in international politics, law, and philosophy. Perspectives on this claim range from legal recognition to moral, historical, and ideological arguments. 

 Here is a breakdown of the different viewpoints based on current discourse:

1.    1. Legal and Diplomatic Perspective (Recognition by Right)

 UN Recognition: Israel was admitted as a member state of the United Nations on May 11, 1949. Under international law, this recognized its sovereignty and legitimacy.

• International Recognition: As of early 2026, Israel is recognized as a sovereign state by approximately 163 of the 192 other United Nations member states.
• The Oslo Accords: In the 1990s, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officially recognized Israel's right to exist in peace and security, a cornerstone for diplomacy, according to the U.S. Department of State. 

2. Legal Skepticism (No Inherent "Right")

 International Law Argument: Many scholars argue that international law does not confer an inherent "right to exist" on any state. States are created, recognized, or dissolved based on historical, political, and military factors, rather than a codified legal right.

• Unique Application: Some critics and commentators note that Israel is often the only country asked to defend its "right to exist," a phrase that is rarely applied to other nations.
• Challenging the Basis: Some observers, such as those at the Mises Institute, argue that existence is not a legal right but a geopolitical reality, according to mises.org. 

3. Historical and Ideological Perspectives

 Self-Determination: Proponents argue that Israel exists by the right of Jewish self-determination, fulfilling a historical and religious connection to the land. This includes references to the Balfour Declaration and the UN Partition Plan of 1947.

• Contested Legitimacy: Opponents often point to the Nakba (the displacement of Palestinians in 1948) to challenge the legality of Israel's founding, arguing it was achieved through the violation of Palestinian rights, according to Jewish Voice for Labour. 

4. Current Context (Right to Exist vs. Right of Function)

• Right to Security: Many defenders emphasize that Israel’s right to exist is synonymous with the right of Jewish people not to be targeted and to have a secure state, a position reinforced by groups like the Israel Policy Forum.
• Conditions of Existence: Some, including many critics and human rights organizations (e.g., Amnesty International), argue that while Israel may exist, its actions—such as occupation, settlement expansion, and policies in the West Bank and Gaza—violate international law. 

In summary, for many, Israel's existence is a legitimate right based on international law and self-determination. For others, particularly critics of its policies, the focus is on challenging the legitimacy of its actions rather than its mere existence, or arguing that no state has an inherent "right" to exist. 

How Soroka Hospital Managed Two Mass-Casualty Events in Quick Succession

https://unitedwithisrael.org/how-soroka-managed-two-mass-casualty-events-in-quick-succession/

 By Amelie Botbol

Such events are particularly complex, as many patients suffer minor physical injuries or psychological trauma but cannot be discharged promptly because they have nowhere to go.

As nearly 200 wounded Israelis arrived at Soroka Medical Center on Saturday following Iranian missile attacks on the southern cities of Dimona and Arad, Prof. Roy Kessous, deputy director of the hospital, described how staff managed two mass-casualty events in quick succession.

At 7 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m., the hospital received alerts following a missile strike on Dimona. From that incident alone, 60 casualties were brought in, including a severely wounded 12-year-old boy who was transferred directly from initial assessment to surgery and remains in intensive care.

Kessous said the hospital is experienced in handling such situations, having dealt with multiple mass-casualty incidents in recent years.

“Very quickly, we implemented the appropriate protocols and mobilized both on-site medical personnel and staff from home,” he told JNS.

He noted that such events are particularly complex, as many patients suffer minor physical injuries or psychological trauma but cannot be discharged promptly because they have nowhere to go.

“Many of them had their homes destroyed in the missile strike. With the help of administrative teams and municipal services, we gradually discharged patients to safe locations for the night,” he said.

Shortly after the Dimona incident, the hospital was notified of another missile strike, this time on Arad. A total of 115 patients were transferred to Soroka, including 70 children. Nine were listed in serious condition, with at least twice that number moderately wounded. Many of the casualties were members of the same families.

To reduce additional distress, hospital staff compiled lists to group relatives together and ensure they were treated in proximity.

Patients arrived with blast injuries and wounds caused by missile fragments. Others were injured in falls from higher floors or while attempting to reach protected areas.

Kessous said one of the main challenges stemmed from Health Ministry directives requiring treatment to take place in protected spaces, limiting the hospital’s overall capacity.

“We are minimizing ambulatory services and have almost entirely halted elective procedures over the past three weeks,” he said. During mass-casualty incidents, the hospital closely monitors intake to avoid exceeding capacity.

“We are not alone—we have support from the Health Ministry and the Clalit Health Services. We continuously assess the number of incoming patients and determine whether transfers to other hospitals across Israel are necessary,” he said.

Capacity, Kessous added, is not defined by a fixed number, but depends on the volume and severity of incoming cases, as well as available staff—though staffing has not been a limiting factor, given the hospital’s size.

“At one point yesterday, ambulances and even a helicopter were waiting as we assessed whether transfers were needed. Fortunately, we were able to treat everyone here,” he said. “We prioritized keeping families together and avoided separating children from their parents.”

 

 

Khameini's Son's Riches

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (who was killed in March 2026), has built a massive, secretive, and international financial empire. As of early 2026, his fortune is estimated to be in the billions of dollars, with significant assets hidden through shell companies to avoid direct links. 

Here are the key details regarding his wealth based on 2026 reports:

• Global Property Empire: Mojtaba is linked to a network of luxury properties worth over £100 million ($138 million+) in London's "Billionaire's Row" (The Bishops Avenue).
• Offshore Holdings: His fortune is spread across bank accounts and investments in the UAE (Dubai), Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and other locations.
• Business Interests: He reportedly has stakes in various entities, including Persian Gulf shipping, luxury hotels in Germany and Spain, and investments in oil and diamond industries.
• Source of Wealth: Much of his wealth is reportedly derived from his control over Setad (the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order), a massive state-owned conglomerate with assets estimated between $95 billion and $200 billion.
• Hidden Assets: While he has acted as a "mini-supreme leader" managing his father's finances, he rarely puts assets in his own name, using intermediaries such as Iranian businessman Ali Ansari.
• Sanctions: Mojtaba was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 2019. 

Contextual Wealth
These reports of vast wealth contrast with the economic hardship and rising poverty experienced by many in Iran. Following the death of his father in March 2026, Mojtaba has been named as the new supreme leader, positioning him to inherit this economic empire. 

Something about Israel Makes People Uncomfortable

 An excellent article by Alister Heath, a British journalist for the Daily Telegraph:

 There’s something about Israel that makes people uncomfortable, and it’s not what they say it is.

They’ll point to politics, settlements, borders, and wars. But scratch beneath the outrage, and you’ll find something deeper. A discomfort not with what Israel does, but with what Israel is.

A nation this small should not be this strong. Period.

 Israel has no oil. No special natural resources. A population barely the size of a mid-sized American city. They are surrounded by enemies. Hated in the United Nations. Targeted by terror. Condemned by celebrities. Boycotted, slandered, and attacked.

And still, they thrive like there’s no tomorrow.

In military. In medicine. In security. In technology. In agriculture. In intelligence. In morality. In sheer, unbreakable will.

 They turn desert into farmland.
They make water from air.
They intercept rockets in mid-air.
They rescue hostages under the nose of the world’s worst regimes.
They survive wars that were supposed to wipe them out, and win.

 The world watches this and can’t make sense of it. So they do what people do when they witness strength they can’t understand.

 They assume it must be cheating.
It must be American aid.
It must be foreign lobbying.
It must be oppression.
It must be theft.
It must be some dark trick that gave the Jews this kind of power.
It must be blackmail.

 Because heaven forbid it’s something else.
Heaven forbid it’s real.
Heaven forbid it’s earned.
Or worse, destined.

 The Jewish people were supposed to disappear a long, long time ago. That’s how the story of exiled, enslaved, hated minorities is supposed to end. But the Jews didn’t disappear. They actually came home, rebuilt their land, revived their language, and brought their dead back to life — in memory, in identity, and in strength. That’s not normal. It’s not political. It’s biblical.

 There’s no cheat code that explains how a group of people return to their homeland after 2,000 years.

There is no rational path from gas chambers to global influence.

And there is no historical precedent for surviving the Babylonians, the Romans, the Crusaders, the Inquisition, the pogroms, and the Holocaust, and still showing up to work on Monday in Tel Aviv.

 Israel doesn’t make sense.

Unless you believe in something beyond the math.

This is what drives the world crazy. Because if Israel is real, if this improbable, ancient, hated nation is somehow still chosen, protected, and thriving.

 Maybe God isn’t a myth after all.
Maybe He’s still in the story.
Maybe history isn’t random.
Maybe evil doesn’t get the last word.
Maybe the Jews are not just a people… but a testimony.

 That’s what they can’t stand.

Because once you admit that Israel’s survival isn’t just impressive, but divine, everything changes. Your moral compass has to reset. Your assumptions about history, power, and justice collapse. You realize you’re not watching the end of an empire. You’re witnessing the beginning of something eternal.

So they deny it.
They smear it.
And rage against it.

Because it’s easier to call a miracle “cheating” than to face the possibility that God keeps His promises and He’s keeping them still.

Tragic Missile Strike in Bet Shemesh

We are now four days into the US-Israeli military campaign to bring down the fanatical Iranian regime. Here in Jerusalem, we have repeatedly hunkered in our bomb shelters as dozens of Iranian missile barrages sailed overhead on their way to Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities. Each time, the explosions from rocket interceptions above us got louder and the ground impacts came closer.

In fact, on Sunday we saw the tragic missile strike which leveled a synagogue and public bomb shelter in Beit Shemesh, only 12 miles from Jerusalem. Nine people have died from the blast so far. Entire families were wiped out. One woman lost her husband the day before they were supposed to celebrate their 13-year-old son’s bar mitzvah. Instead, the boy had to bury his father yesterday.              

Within hours of the Beit Shemesh disaster, Iran started deliberately targeting Jerusalem for the first time, using their best guided missiles. One unexploded warhead fell in the Hinnom Valley outside Jaffa Gate, just 500 meters from the Temple Mount. Another rocket blew a large crater in a main highway in Jerusalem. Iran even brazenly announced it had targeted Israeli government offices in “East Jerusalem.”

Like the Iranian attacks on numerous Arab countries, the missile barrages on Jerusalem are signs of a desperate regime in the last throes of their power. With the confirmed death of Ayatollah Ali Khameini and dozens of other senior Iranian leaders on day one, the Islamic Republic knows it is about to meet its end. Masses of Iranian people are longing for that moment, but we do not know yet exactly when it will come.

Since the war began on Saturday morning, many Christians have joined us in praying for a swift and decisive victory over the Iranian regime before the end of Purim on Wednesday. This festive biblical holiday marks a famous triumph of the Jewish people over their enemies within the ancient Persian empire. Thus, a resounding victory this week by the Jewish nation over its implacable enemies in Tehran would be so appropriate.

Still, Israeli authorities have told the public to expect the fighting to continue until at least March 12, while US President Donald Trump just said it could take three to four more weeks to finish the mission. We simply do not know how long this war will last and whether it might spread further throughout the region.

But what we do know is that right now Israel needs our help. This is a pivotal moment for the Jewish people gathered back in their ancestral homeland. A clear victory could radically change the dynamic in the region, expanding the prospects of Israel’s wider acceptance by its Arab neighbors. But they need to know that Christians are at their side, to give them the courage and stamina to endure the Iranian missiles now raining down on Israeli cities.

 

The World Must Listen to This Former Israeli Hostage

For months, the world has clung to a comforting illusion that Hamas can be “managed,” deterred, contained, reasoned with. That October 7th was an “outburst,” a “desperation move,” something that can be prevented next time with the right arrangements, the right mediators, the right formulas.

Segev Kalfon, kidnapped from the Nova music festival and held for hundreds of days inside Hamas terror tunnels, has come out with testimony that should shatter every fantasy still floating around in diplomatic circles. Senior Hamas officials told him directly: They have no problem promising Netanyahu that there would be no more October 7th massacres, as they would then massacre Jews on October 8th and October 9th instead.

From Hamas’s perspective, concepts like peace, de-escalation, or restraint are not end goals but tactical language— deception used as a tool of strategy. They frame temporary truces as pauses—much like the early Islamic precedent of a hudna.

Kalfon describes long conversations in the underground tunnels with the commander of Hamas’s Nuseirat Battalion, a senior figure connected to Ismail Haniyeh’s inner circle. These were not low-level fighters. These were decision-makers. And according to them, the horror of October 7th was only considered a “mistake” for one reason: Iran, Hezbollah, and the broader Muslim world did not join the war.

They did not regret their actions of slaughtering babies, burning people alive or raping, kidnapping and mutilating them. No.

They regretted it because they were left to fight alone.Think about what that means.

From inside the tunnels, from the mouths of those running this terror army, the regret is not moral—it is logistical. Their complaint was not that they went too far. It was that their partners did not show up.

This aligns perfectly with what we have seen for decades: a worldview where deception is a tool, where “agreements” are tactical, and where the ultimate goal is not coexistence, but elimination.

Kalfon also recounts Hamas leaders openly mocking Qatar and the broader Muslim world. The objective was not negotiations or leverage. It was annihilation. The language of “understandings,” “arrangements,” or a so-called “day after” is not taken seriously by them. It is a stage prop. A tactic. A mask.

This is not a theory or an analysis. This is first hand testimony from a man who sat face-to-face with Hamas leadership while they believed they had all the time in the world.

And yet, even now, there are still voices talking about rebuilding Gaza with Hamas still breathing, about “stabilization,” about international frameworks that assume this is a conflict that can be cooled rather than an ideology that must be defeated.

We are not dealing with a rational adversary seeking a better political arrangement. We are dealing with a jihadi Islamic enemy that openly says its only regret was not killing more Jews with more help.

Anyone still clinging to illusions should listen carefully.

Gaza must be cleared of all jihadi Muslims who educate their children in United Nations UNRWA schools to kill Jews and destroy Israel.

The truth came out of the tunnels.

Why Putting Turkey, Qatar in Charge of Gaza is a Farce

                          

Michael Freund, full article at  https://tinyurl.com/52dn9b9b

The article argues that the Trump administration’s reported plan to place Turkey and Qatar on a “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza is fundamentally flawed and dangerous. The author contends that both countries are not neutral mediators but active enablers of Hamas: Qatar is described as Hamas’s main financial patron and host of its leaders, while Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, openly defends Hamas, rejects its designation as a terrorist organization, and uses extreme anti-Israel rhetoric.

According to the article, neither Ankara nor Doha has ever called for Hamas to disarm, relinquish control of Gaza, or abandon its charter. Instead, Hamas is portrayed as strategically useful to both states as a proxy against Israel and a source of Islamist legitimacy. Expecting them to dismantle Hamas is therefore, in the author’s view, unrealistic and absurd.

The piece concludes that any Gaza “peace plan” that does not begin with the complete dismantling of Hamas is doomed to fail. By elevating Turkey and Qatar—without prior consultation with Israel—the U.S. is said to be undermining Israel’s security and rewarding Hamas’s backers. The author warns that this approach will not bring peace, but rather entrench Hamas further and pave the way for future conflict.

When the next round of violence erupts – as it inevitably will – no Board of Peace and no communiques or diplomatic euphemisms will obscure those who enabled it or the responsibility they bear for the consequences.