Beltway Insider: Biden/Israel/Gaza Post Conflict, Fighting Resumes, Santos Expelled, Henry Kissinger, Rosalynn Carter, Sandra Day O’Connor

Details: Category: Beltway Insider; Published on Sunday, 03 December 2023 12:22; Written by Janet Walker

As the world recently experienced the short-lived pause in the Israeli/Hamas conflict, President Biden, and Vice President Harris, as well as international partners, has ramped up their conversations as what parameters should guide an expected post-conflict phase.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending December 3, 2023 decreased by 0.7% to 38.2% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness decreased by 0.2% to 54.8% of those polled who disapprove of his effectiveness. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.

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Biden, Harris Explain Post Israeli/Gaza Conflict Expectations

Vice President Harris met this week with international partners in Dubai to continue to develop plans and guiding principles for a post Israeli/Hamas conflict, which she announced during a press conference.

"Five principles guide our approach for post-conflict Gaza: no forcible displacement, no reoccupation, no siege or blockade, no reduction in territory, and no use of Gaza as a platform for terrorism," said Vice-President Harris in a released statement.

Before the announcement of the conversation and guiding principles, the Vice-President explained unequivocally of unilateral support for Israel's right to defend itself against the violation of territorial sovereignty as witnessed in the October 7, 2023, attack. During this attack Hamas murdered innocent chidlren and Holocaust survivors, the death toll at 1200, was the worst single day attack in the history of Israeli-Hamas conflicts.

This has led to both the United States and international partners coming together on possible ideas of post conflict structure of the region. A two-state solution, which has been the agenda of several administration, is more recently defined from the Biden administration as a unified Gaza and West Bank under the leadership of the Palestinian Authority.

The idea of a two-state solution without realigning state boundaries, which all international partners and the United States are hoping becomes a reality, may materialize, but the notion of realigning state boundaries to incorporate a two-state solution would never materialize.

Shortly after October 7th, President Biden and I began discussions with our national security team about post-conflict Gaza. We have begun to engage partners in the region and around the world in these conversations, and this has been a key priority over the last eight weeks.

Israel Targets Hamas Leaders Globally

Once Gaza is razed, the possibility of an international global hunt for high value Hamas targets in every country may very well be the intention of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This clandestine effort will be one that the leaders of the free world and supports of Israel may also clandestinely support and assist. This joint effort may be the bridge that brings a cease fire to the bombings in Gaza.

"The assassination campaign would be an extension of Israel's decades long clandestine operations that have become the subject of both Hollywood legend and worldwide condemnation. Israeli assassins have hunted Palestinian militants in Beirut while dressed as women, and killed a Hamas leader in Dubai while disguised as tourists. Israel has used a car bomb to assassinate a Hezbollah leader in Syria and a remote-controlled rifle to kill a nuclear scientist in Iran, according to former Israeli officials," reported The Wall Street Journal.

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Gaza Strikes Resume

After a week's cessation of air raids, the pause which both sides are attributing to the other, can be seen as the possibility that a cease fire deal, with negotiations anchored by global partners in the region, remains viable. Even as official negotiators in Qatar are concerned over the set-back, all parties remain confident the conflict will end and when it does, Hamas cannot control Gaza, and Israel must be secure.

"The seven-day pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas ended early Friday. Each side blamed the other. Israel said Hamas had "violated the operational pause and, in addition, fired toward Israeli territory," while a Hamas official said talks to extend the pause were "thwarted by the Israelis" who had "refused" an offer to release elderly male hostages and the bodies of three Israeli hostages," reported The Washington Post.

Neither of the claims from either Israel or Hamas has been independently confirmed through any media source or government. The fact, however, remains clear, the air raids have begun again and in the day since the fighting in Gaza has resumed, close to 200 innocent civilians (guilty only due to their ethnicity) have been killed.

George Santo Expelled by House of Representatives

In a 311-114 vote, "The House voted Friday to expel Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from Congress — an action the chamber had previously taken only five times in U.S. history, and not for more than 20 years — in response to an array of alleged crimes and ethical lapses that came to light after the freshman lawmaker was found to have fabricated key parts of his biography," reported The Washington Post.

This action, which could possibly set a precedent not only in congress but in the hallways of corporations throughout America, fabricating credentials, histories, backgrounds, and compounding those lies with more lies, and fraud, will only result in termination and quite possibly criminal indictment.

Coronavirus Totals

The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens, should receive at least one shot of an updated covid vaccine.

Mandates have been altered or lifted in most urban areas with limited exceptions, and the population is encouraged to maintain personal protective practices. Masks are optional and tolerated. Vaccines and boosters are still considered the most effective agents against contracting the Coronavirus.

For the 7-day period ending December 3, 2023, the total of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide reached 771,052,752 confirmed cases, an increase over the past 14 days of 231,815 cases worldwide. The total worldwide death toll increased by 7,103 to 6,985,278 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated November 30, 2023, from The World Health Organization).

COVID U.S. Totals

As hospitalizations and infection rates continue to rise in the United States, some jurisdictions are suggesting new mask mandates. For the 14-day period ending December 3, 2023, new Covid hospitalizations in the U.S. increased by 37,827 to 6,522,156. The coronavirus has claimed 1,156,484 total U.S. deaths, adding zero deaths, over the past week. (Data updated November 25, 2023, posted December 1, 2023, from the CDC).

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Henry Kissinger, Advisor to Presidents, Dies

Henry Kissinger, who advised 12 U.S. presidents died this week from President John Kennedy to President Biden, he was 100.

Kissinger, who fled Europe a year before the annihilation of the Jews would begin, moved to the United States at 8, with his family. By his own accounts his early years, where what they were, and it wasn't until he was drafted in the U.S. Military and became a German Translator that his life in Politics began to materialize.

"At a critical moment in American history and diplomacy, he was second in power only to President Richard M. Nixon. He joined the Nixon White House in January 1969 as national security adviser and, after his appointment as secretary of state in 1973, kept both titles, a rarity. When Nixon resigned, he stayed on under President Gerald R. Ford," reported The New York Times.

Kissinger influenced the foreign policy agenda of every president including the relationships with China, during the Vietnam War, Russia, and the volatile middle east.

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

"Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female U.S. Supreme Court justice, whose independence on a court that was often ideologically divided made her the pivotal vote in numerous closely contested cases and one of the most powerful women of her era, died Dec. 1 in Phoenix. She was 93," reported The Washington Post.

Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter

A memorial service for former First Lady Rosalynn Carter was held this week in Atlanta and attended by all living former First Ladies, as well as President and Dr. Biden, Vice-President Harris and First Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, and former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"Her frail husband a silent witness, Rosalynn Carter was celebrated by her family and closest friends Wednesday in the same tiny town where she and Jimmy Carter were born, forever their home base as they climbed to the White House and traveled the world for humanitarian causes," the APnews.com reported.

There were no political agendas, only a day of celebration of a life well-lived. Married to former President Jimmy Carter for 77 years, to hear from those who loved her, even with her international acclaim, and widespread global humanitarian efforts she remained unassuming, and down to earth. With excerpt read by her children and grandchildren, the world saw a side of her than only a few were fortunate to know. A dedicated adventurer, humanitarian, friend, and fortress, her passing which at 96 marks a life well-lived, she was faithful, and committed to leaving the world better.

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T-Rex Sue Causes Another Legal Challenge

T-Rex Sue continues to make headlines. The most recent legal challenges spawned by the 67-million-year-old fossilized remains come from the children of the now deceased landowner, Darlene Williams, wife of Maurice Williams, owner of the property where the most intact ever discovered Tyrannosaurus Rex, somehow died on their property, and rested until 1990, when an intern, Sue Hendricks, at the South Dakota Black Hills Institute stumbled on the bones.

"It is the latest legal dispute spawned by Sue, a crown jewel of paleontology regarded as the most complete T. rex fossil ever found. The bones have been at the center of court cases almost from the moment fossil hunters found the 67 million-year-old remnants," The New York Times reported.

Initially Hendricks gave the bones to Peter Larson, the owner of the Institute, who paid Williams, the owner of the land, $5000.00. Later a legal dispute would arise over the exact wording of the sale, and as the enormity of the scientific discovery began to be realized, of course, the deeper pockets began to excavate more deceitful methods of determining rightful ownership.

In the end, Larson went to prison for a short stint; Sue Hendricks was credited with the discovery, and the Sioux Indian Maurice Williams, whose land held the rich treasures agreed to have the T-Rex auctioned where the 67-million-year-old beauty garnered $8 million dollars.

Now, the children of Mrs. Williams are fighting over the authenticity of two wills, as the legacy of the T-Rex continues to stir up controversary.

For more information on President Joe Biden w ww.whitehouse.gov.