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  -- Canadian Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, when asked about Iran's nuclear program and Israel's possible coming attack..

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I think if it gets that far, Israel should grant Sinwar temporary immunity for the duration of serious negotiations. If Israel feels he is leading them on for his own purposes and is not making serious offers and efforts, he loses his immunity. If immunity is needed to get him to the table, give it to him, but not open ended. If we think he is playing us, immuity is canceled. if a deal doesn't work out, immunity is canceled. 

Minister Smotritch posted today that he is opposed to the security measures, but that is not what is holding up the train. Smotritch himself wants the train to go back to full operation today, just without the new defensive security protective enhancements.

To explain, Smotritch believes that Israel should no longer invest a single agora in defensive measures. He says an army that is looking for ways to protect itself defensively is an army that does not believe in victory. The residents of the south should not be looking for all sorts of defensive measures. Gaza will no longer be a security threat to the residents of Israel. It is the Gazans who should be looking for ways to protect themselves!

Smotritch says that reinforcing the trains and putting in protective measures will freeze the line for two years while they implement those defensive enhancements. The train line should open today, as is, with no security enhancements at all. Smotritch says he raised the issue in a recent Cabinet meeting and believes they will soon be able to open the train line and put it into operation.

He has a point. Logically it makes some sense.

I saw a video a while back, earlier in the year - it was an interview with family members of someone killed on October 7. the family was int he middle of sitting shiva and the reporter is interviewing the father. During the interview sirens are going off and many of the people present ran off to take cover, find shelter, go to safe rooms, etc. The father being interviewed did not get up and when asked he said, no more sirens, no more safe rooms. All they do is give us a false sense of security. We need to do away with the threats rather than defensively protect ourselves from them.

It makes sense to a certain extent. I am not sure armies are not supposed to invest in defensive systems. They can invest in offense and work toward victory while also investing in defense.

When Smotritch says we will not invest a single agora in defensive measures does he mean to say we will no longer build bomb shelters and safe rooms? What about those concrete structures in front of many bus stops and public buildings?

Does Smotritch mean the IDF will do away for the Iron Dome system, along with the Arrow and David's Slingshot? Those are all defensive systems that have saved many lives over the years and have given us a sense of security that perhaps diminished the urgency of dealing with Gaza.

Does Smotritch mean to say that the settlements in Judea and Samaria no longer need electronic fences with tracking systems? What about security checkpoints and security walls? bulletproof buses, windshields protected against rocks?

I am pretty sure we need at least some defensive systems, even while not discounting the need to actually deal on the offensive with the threats and not just rely on the defensive measures.

Ben Shapiro accompanied President Donald Trump on his visit to the Ohel, the burial place of Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson - the last Rebbe of Chabad...

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Why now? what has changed? The Dati Leumi leadership have been very opposed to a deal until now, and calling support for a "responsible" deal doesnt really change anything as all along they have said they would support a deal but only a responsible one (question is always what qualifies as responsible). Now? There are not even any talks or discussions of a deal on the table. Sinwar has been incommunicado for a long time and only yesterday did they say he finally has been in touch with Qatar and is really alive. Why now? What is this letter meant to accomplish?

One option is that it is just meant as an attempt to improve their own public image. The DL community has been painted as being against any deal, maybe they dont care about the hostages, and the like. A letter in support of a deal, especially when it costs nothing as no deal is on the table, can go a long way in repainting the image of the community. See - we are in favor of a deal, we do care about the hostages.

The other option, in my mind, is that there is, perhaps, something going on behind the scenes that the public has not been made aware of. Perhaps talks, or the start of talks, and a possible deal approaching. This letter, according to my theory, is meant to start paving the way and preparing the public for a deal that might be presented soon. I would not be surprised if Netanyahu is ready to make a deal for the hostages and this letter is at his bequest (in his usual roundabout ways) to start preparing the ground. Saar recently joined the government so even if Ben Gvir would remain opposed it could still pass a vote without him. 

Just a theory, dont get your hopes up just yet, but let's see where this goes, and hopefully we will see the hostages home soon!

The pilgrims, already stuck for a few days in transit, have started contacting various MKs and Ministers pleading for assistance, asking for Israeli intervention at the borders with the Romanian authorities... Some have said they are trying to help (though in practice, maybe they are, maybe they arent), while others have been less than helpful saying you were told in advance not to go, there is a war, flights have been canceled by almost all the airlines, there is no way for me to help.

I don't really feel bad for them. This is what they felt they need to do with their dedication to the Uman cause, isnt it? It is all a test to see if they are really dedicated to going to Uman? They need to overcome all challenges and tests and do it anyway - so this is that. There are literally almost no flights to Israel nowadays, besides for all the other travel difficulties, yet they went anyway knowing that.

That being said, if people are in a position of power and are in a position to help, they definitely should. The Breslavers dont need to be punished for their stupidity and left to rot in Romania just because they didnt listen to the travel advisories and pay attention to the war situation. If government officials can work things out with the Romanian authorities and help get them out, they should. It might even require an emergency airlift. I kind of feel saving them is not fair to many other people. People have been stranded all over the world due to canceled flights and Israel did not do anything to help them, leaving them to scramble on their own and pay lots of money to find ways home, but these people who went against all warnings and knowing the current situation should be rescued?

Despite all that, if Israeli officials are in a position to help work things out, they should.

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